title: The chitin synthase involved in marine bivalve mollusk shell formation contains a myosin domain.
abstract: Chitin is a key component in mollusk nacre formation. However, the enzyme complex responsible for chitin deposition in the mollusk shell remained unknown. We cloned and characterized the chitin synthase of the marine bivalve mollusk Atrina rigida. We present here the first chitin synthase sequence from invertebrates containing an unconventional myosin motor head domain. We further show that a homologous gene for chitin synthase is expressed in the shell forming tissue of larval Mytilus galloprovincialis even in early embryonic stages. The new data presented here are the first clear-cut indication for a functional role of cytoskeletal forces in the precisely controlled mineral deposition process of mollusk shell biogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Universität Regensburg, c/o Lehrstuhl Biochemie 1, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93055 Regensburg, Germany. ingrid.weiss@vkl.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Ingrid M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schönitzer
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eichner
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sumper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002687:Chitin Synthase / Q000737:chemistry*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D008974:Mollusca / Q000201:enzymology*; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry*; D049878:Mytilus; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D002687:Chitin Synthase; D009218:Myosins