An Antarctic molluscan biomineralisation tool-kit.
The Antarctic clam Laternula elliptica lives almost permanently below 0 °C and therefore is a valuable and tractable model to study the mechanisms of biomineralisation in cold water. The present study employed a multidisciplinary approach using histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, proteomics and gene expression to investigate this process. Thirty seven proteins were identified via proteomic extraction of the nacreous shell layer, including two not previously found in nacre; a novel T-rich Mucin-like protein and a Zinc-dependent metalloprotease. In situ hybridisation of seven candidate biomineralisation genes revealed discrete spatial expression patterns within the mantle tissue, hinting at modular organisation, which is also observed in the mantle tissues of other molluscs. All seven of these biomineralisation candidates displayed evidence of multifunctionality and strong association with vesicles, which are potentially involved in shell secretion in this species.
British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.|Centre for Marine Biodiversity &Biotechnology, Institute of Life &Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK.
Victoria A
VA
Sleight
UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
Benjamin
B
Marie
Department of Geobiology, Goldschmidtstr.3, Georg-August University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
Daniel J
DJ
Jackson
Centre for Marine Biodiversity &Biotechnology, Institute of Life &Earth Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK.
Elisabeth A
EA
Dyrynda
UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
Arul
A
Marie
British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.
Melody S
MS
Clark
D060105:Animal Shells / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D003080:Cold Temperature; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D011506:Proteins