Biosilica formation in spicules of the sponge Suberites domuncula: Synchronous expression of a gene cluster

• Published in: Genomics (San Diego, Calif.) Vol. 85; no. 6; pp. 666 - 678
• Main Authors: Schröder, Heinz C., Perovic-Ottstadt, Sanja, Grebenjuk, Vladislav A., Engel, Sylvia, Müller, Isabel M., Müller, Werner E.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2005
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; Cathepsins - biosynthesis; Cathepsins - genetics; Enzymes - biosynthesis; Enzymes - genetics; Gene cluster; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Gene Expression Regulation - physiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Morphogenesis; Porifera; Silicatein; Silicic Acid - pharmacology; Spicules; Sponges; Suberites - genetics; Suberites - physiology; Suberites - ultrastructure; Suberites domuncula; Morphogenesis; Gene cluster; Sponges; Suberites domuncula; Silicatein; Spicules

The formation of spicules is a complicated morphogenetic process in sponges (phylum Porifera). The primmorph system was used to demonstrate that in the demosponge Suberites domuncula the synthesis of the siliceous spicules starts intracellularly and is dependent on the concentration of silicic acid....