title: Simple method for preparation of nanostructurally organized spines of sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis (Agassiz, 1863).
abstract: Unique skeletal formations of marine invertebrates, including representatives of Echinodermata, have the unique potential to serve as templates for bio-inspired materials chemistry, biomimetics, and materials science. The sand dollar Scaphechinus mirabilis (Agassiz, 1983) is widely distributed in the northwest of the Pacific Ocean from southern Japan to the Aleutian Islands. This animal is the main source of naphtochinone-based substances. These compounds have recently drawn medical attention for their use as cardiological and ophthalmological drugs. Unfortunately, after extraction of the naphtochinones, the residual skeletons and spines of the sand dollars were usually discarded. Here, we report the first method for the preparation of nanostructurally organized spines of S. mirabilis, using a simple enzymatic and hydrogen peroxide-based treatment. Application of this method opens the way for development of non-wasteful environmentally clean technology of sand dollars as well-known industrial marine invertebrates.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Dresden University of Technology, Bergstr. 66, 01069, Dresden, Germany. Hermann.Ehrlich@tu-dresden.de
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
authors.forename: Yury N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Elkin
authors.forename: Alexandr A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Artoukov
authors.forename: Valentin A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Stonik
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Safronov
authors.forename: Vasily V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Bazhenov
authors.forename: Denis V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Kurek
authors.forename: Valery P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Varlamov
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Born
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000818:Animals; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D009285:Naphthoquinones; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide