Biomineralization markers during early shell formation in the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata, Linnaeus

• Published in: Marine biology Vol. 158; no. 2; pp. 341 - 353
• Main Authors: Gaume, Béatrice, Fouchereau-Peron, Martine, Badou, Aïcha, Helléouet, Marie-Noëlle, Huchette, Sylvain, Auzoux-Bordenave, Stéphanie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.02.2011; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abalones; Analysis; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquaculture; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomineralization; Calcium carbonate; Colleges & universities; Enzymatic activity; Experiments; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth; Haliotis; Haliotis tuberculata; Hatching; Infrared spectroscopy; Invertebrates; Larvae; Larval development; Life Sciences; Light microscopy; Marine; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Marine biology; Metamorphosis; Microbiology; Mineralization; Mollusca; Mollusks; Oceanography; Original Paper; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Zoology; Europe; France; Larval Shell; Amorphous Calcium Carbonate; Carbonic Anhydrase Activity; Shell Growth; Shell Formation; Abalone; Mineralization; Haliotis tuberculata; Biomineralization; Shell(anatomy); Gastropoda; Marker; Invertebrata; Mollusca
• ISSN: 0025-3162; 1432-1793
• DOI: 10.1007/s00227-010-1562-x

Larval shell formation was investigated in the European abalone Haliotis tuberculata. Stages of mineralization as well as enzymatic and endocrine biomarkers were monitored throughout larval development, from hatching to post-larval stages. Polarized light microscopy and infrared spectroscopy analyses revealed the presence of crystallized calcium carbonate arranged in aragonite polymorphs from the late trochophore stage. A correlation between the main steps of shell formation and enzymatic activities of alkaline phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase was seen. The variations of these biologic activities were related to the onset of mineralization, the rapid shell growth, and the switch from larval to juvenile shell following metamorphosis. Furthermore, a strong increase in the level of calcitonin gene-related molecules was measured in post-larvae, suggesting that endocrine control takes place after metamorphosis. The changes measured for the three biomineralization markers together with mineralogical analysis allowed us to correlate physiologic mechanisms with early steps of abalone shell formation.