title: [Progress in silicatein from sponges].
abstract: Sponges (Porifera) are the oldest living metazoan in the world, among which most of them (Demospongia) can produce silicic skeleton from orthosilicic acid in the seawater under the natural enVironmental conditions. These biosilicic materials exhibit good mechanical and optical properties as well as good biocompatibility. During the biosilicification process of sponges, a protein, named as silicatein, plays an important role and has attracted great attention from biologist, chemists and material scientists. This mini review highlights the discovery of silicateins and its function as both an enzymatic catalyst and an organic template for biosilicification. The studies since 1999 were briefly introduced on the application of silicatein as a biocatalyst and template for synthesis of silica-based and other inorganic materials. It is expected to stimulate the interests in the related researches in China.
authors.affiliation: Marine Bioproducts Engineering Group, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academic of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
authors.forename: Xupeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xingju
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055162:Biocatalysis; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000737:chemistry*; D011161:Porifera / Q000201:enzymology*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C112571:silicatein alpha; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002403:Cathepsins