title: Nanobacteria are mineralo fetuin complexes.
abstract: "Nanobacteria" are nanometer-scale spherical and ovoid particles which have spurred one of the biggest controversies in modern microbiology. Their biological nature has been severely challenged by both geologists and microbiologists, with opinions ranging from considering them crystal structures to new life forms. Although the nature of these autonomously replicating particles is still under debate, their role in several calcification-related diseases has been reported. In order to gain better insights on this calciferous agent, we performed a large-scale project, including the analysis of "nanobacteria" susceptibility to physical and chemical compounds as well as the comprehensive nucleotide, biochemical, proteomic, and antigenic analysis of these particles. Our results definitively ruled out the existence of "nanobacteria" as living organisms and pointed out the paradoxical role of fetuin (an anti-mineralization protein) in the formation of these self-propagating mineral complexes which we propose to call "nanons." The presence of fetuin within renal calculi was also evidenced, suggesting its role as a hydroxyapatite nucleating factor.
authors.affiliation: Unité des Rickettsies, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France. Didier.Raoult@medecine.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drancourt
authors.forename: Saïd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azza
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nappez
authors.forename: Régis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guieu
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rolain
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fourquet
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: La Scola
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mege
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mansuelle
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lechevalier
authors.forename: Yvon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Berland
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gorvel
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Renesto
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001031:Apatites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000382:microbiology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001031:Apatites; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins