Abstract
The inner ear of the Danio rerio fish contains biominerals called otoliths that are composed of calcium carbonate crystals and a protein organic matrix. It has been previously suggested that Starmaker (Stm), which is an intrinsically disordered protein, acts as a component of otoliths that controls the size, shape, and polymorph of crystals. In this study, an in vitro calcium carbonate crystallization system was established to examine the role of Stm and extensively phosphorylated Stm (StmP) in the formation of crystals. SEM and X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that the dimensions of calcite crystals growing in the presence of Stm that had been phosphorylated by CK2 (StmP) were smaller in comparison with those growing with Stm. The shape of crystals growing in the presence of StmP were smoother and more spherical than those obtained in the presence of Stm. The decrease in crystal size, depending on the level of protein concentration, indicates that Stm and StmP act as inhibitors of crystal growth.
Published Version
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