Abstract
There has been much discussion of the role of proteins in the calcium carbonate biomineralization process, particularly with regard to nucleation, amorphous stabilization/transformation, and polymorph selection. However, there has been little if any discussion of the potential role that proteins might play in another important process: the guided assembly and organization of mineral nanoparticles into higher-ordered structures such as mesocrystals. This review discusses particle attachment theory and recent evidence of mineral-associated proteins forming hydrogels that assemble and organize mineral clusters into crystalline phase. From this discussion we postulate a mechanism by which biomineralization protein hydrogel aggregation assists in mineral nanoparticle assembly and organization within calcium carbonate skeletal elements and discuss potentials ways for harnessing this process in materials design.
Highlights
In Nature, numerous oceanic organisms build protective and functional skeletal elements using calcium carbonate [1,2]
Of numerous subunits that have a limited range of particle sizes [21,27,28,29,30]. These phenomena have led scientists to develop a revised picture of the biomineralization process: crystals or guided particle assembly [31]. This has been discussed in a recent theory known as crystallization form from a non-classical route involving some form of liquid-liquid phase separation [22] or guided by particle attachment (CPA) [31]
A crystal forms as a result of nanoparticle aggregation into particle assembly [31]. This has been discussed in a recent theory known as crystallization by particle an amorphous mineral phase, which transforms via Ostwald ripening into a crystalline phase attachment (CPA) [31]
Summary
In Nature, numerous oceanic organisms build protective and functional skeletal elements using calcium carbonate [1,2]. 2018, 11,nanoparticle x FOR PEER REVIEW of numerous subunits that have a limited range of particle sizes [21,27,28,29,30] These phenomena have led scientists to develop a revised picture of the biomineralization process: crystals or guided particle assembly [31]. A crystal forms as a result of nanoparticle aggregation into particle assembly [31] This has been discussed in a recent theory known as crystallization by particle an amorphous mineral phase, which transforms via Ostwald ripening into a crystalline phase attachment (CPA) [31]. Explain why proteins were incorporated into the biomineralization process over evolutionary time
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