title: Enzymatic production of biosilica glass using enzymes from sponges: basic aspects and application in nanobiotechnology (material sciences and medicine).
abstract: Biomineralization, biosilicification in particular (i.e. the formation of biogenic silica, SiO2), has become an exciting source of inspiration for the development of novel bionic approaches following "nature as model". Siliceous sponges are unique among silica forming organisms in their ability to catalyze silica formation using a specific enzyme termed silicatein. In this study, we review the present state of knowledge on silicatein-mediated "biosilica" formation in marine sponges, the involvement of further molecules in silica metabolism and their potential application in nanobiotechnology and medicine.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Abteilung Angewandte Molekularbiologie, Universität, Duesbergweg 6, Mainz, Germany. hschroed@uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Heinz C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schlossmacher
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Muhammad Nawaz
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Tahir
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tremel
authors.forename: Sergey I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Belikov
authors.forename: Werner E G
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000737:chemistry; D008027:Light; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011161:Porifera / Q000201:enzymology*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C112571:silicatein alpha; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002403:Cathepsins