title: Nucleation of apatite crystals in vitro by self-assembled dentin matrix protein 1.
abstract: Bones and teeth are biocomposites that require controlled mineral deposition during their self-assembly to form tissues with unique mechanical properties. Acidic extracellular matrix proteins play a pivotal role during biomineral formation. However, the mechanisms of protein-mediated mineral initiation are far from understood. Here we report that dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1), an acidic protein, can nucleate the formation of hydroxyapatite in vitro in a multistep process that begins by DMP1 binding calcium ions and initiating mineral deposition. The nucleated amorphous calcium phosphate precipitates ripen and nanocrystals form. Subsequently, these expand and coalesce into microscale crystals elongated in the c-axis direction. Characterization of the functional domains in DMP1 demonstrated that intermolecular assembly of acidic clusters into a beta-sheet template was essential for the observed mineral nucleation. Protein-mediated initiation of nanocrystals, as discussed here, might provide a new methodology for constructing nanoscale composites by self-assembly of polypeptides with tailor-made peptide sequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology (M/C 690), University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veis
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000379:methods; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D006882:Hydroxyapatites / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018786:Bone Substitutes; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D006882:Hydroxyapatites; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C519480:amorphous calcium phosphate