title: In situ distribution and characterization of the organic content of the oyster shell Crassostrea gigas (Mollusca, Bivalvia).
abstract: Cultivation of commercial oysters is now facing the possible influence of global change in sea water composition, commonly referred to as "ocean acidification". In order to test the potential consequence of the predicted environmental changes, a cultivation experiment was carried out. The left and right valves of the oyster shell Crassostrea gigas differ in their structure; moreover, lenses of non compact layers are irregular. The shell layers of juvenile C. gigas are studied using a variety of highly spatially resolved techniques to establish their composition and structure. Our results confirm the presence of three different calcitic structural types. The role of the lenses of chalky layers is not yet deciplered. Despite a common mineralogy, the elemental composition of the layers differs. The sulphur aminoacids and sulphated polysaccharide contents of the intracrystalline and intercrystalline matrices differ, as well as those of the structural types. The possible different sensitivity of these structures to environmental changes is still unknown.
authors.affiliation: UMR IDES 8148, bât. 504, Université Paris Sud, F-91405 Orsay cedex, France. yannicke.dauphin@u-psud.fr
authors.forename: Yannicke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dauphin
authors.forename: Alexander D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Hiram
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Castillo-Michel
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chevallard
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cuif
authors.forename: Bastien
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farre
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pouvreau
authors.forename: Murielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salomé
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D060105:Animal Shells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000737:chemistry*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D057232:Global Warming; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011134:Polysaccharides