Direct Observation of the Transition from Calcite to Aragonite Growth as Induced by Abalone Shell Proteins

The mixture of EDTA-soluble proteins found in abalone nacre are known to cause the nucleation and growth of aragonite on calcite seed crystals in supersaturated solutions of calcium carbonate. Past atomic force microscope studies of the interaction of these proteins with calcite crystals did not obs...

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Published inBiophysical journal Vol. 79; no. 6; pp. 3307 - 3312
Main Authors Thompson, James B., Paloczi, George T., Kindt, Johannes H., Michenfelder, Martina, Smith, Bettye L., Stucky, Galen, Morse, Daniel E., Hansma, Paul K.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2000
Biophysical Society
Subjects
Animal Structures
Animals
Atoms & subatomic particles
Calcium Carbonate - chemistry
Crystals
Edetic Acid
Marine
Microscopy, Atomic Force - methods
Mollusca
Mollusks
Proteins
Shells
Transitions
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Summary:The mixture of EDTA-soluble proteins found in abalone nacre are known to cause the nucleation and growth of aragonite on calcite seed crystals in supersaturated solutions of calcium carbonate. Past atomic force microscope studies of the interaction of these proteins with calcite crystals did not observe this transition because no information about the crystal polymorph on the surface was obtained. Here we have used the atomic force microscope to directly observe changes in the atomic lattice on a calcite seed crystal after the introduction of abalone shell proteins. The observed changes are consistent with a transition to (001) aragonite growth on a (1014) calcite surface.
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ISSN:0006-3495
1542-0086
DOI:10.1016/S0006-3495(00)76562-3