Effects of Peptides on CaCO₃Crystallization: Mineralization Properties of an Acidic Peptide Isolated from Exoskeleton of Crayfish and Its Derivatives

Abstract

Acidic proteins play key roles in biomineralization processes. Herein, we report on the effects of an acidic peptide, calcification associated peptide-1 (CAP-1), isolated from the exoskeleton of the crayfish and its derivatives on crystallization of CaCO3 on glass and chitin substrates. The morphologies of CaCO3 crystals depended on the chemical structure of the peptides. On chitin matrices, uniaxially oriented CaCO3 crystals were formed due to the effects of the specific chitin binding region of the peptides. It was revealed that the C-terminal acidic region and the 70th phosphoserine exerted great effects on CaCO3 crystallization.

Structural and Functional Analyses of a Strong Chitin-Binding Protein-1 (SCBP-1) from the Exoskeleton of the Crayfish <i>Procambarus clarkii</i>

“…Previous reports indicate that the matrix protein (CAP-1) of the exoskeleton of the crayfish induce the formation of calcite crystals that have a strictly controlled crystal orientation and morphology, by in vitro crystallization experiments, 32,33) but such highly regulated calcite crystals were formed only on the chitin scaffold. This suggests that the organic scaffold has important roles in regulating calcification in the exoskeleton.…”

Fabrication of EuF3‐Mesocrystals in a Gel Matrix

“…A large number of examples of ordered macromolecular structures are also known in the world of biomacromolecules. Mesocrystal formation along a pre-structured organic matrix seems to be especially valid in biomineralization processes, as could also be demonstrated by biomimetic mineralization experiments [21][22][23][24][25] . Typical examples for a matrix-mediated nanoparticle growth are the formation and growth of bones as well as the growth of nacre [25][26][27] .…”

Bio-inspired synthesis of polymer–inorganic nanocomposite materials in mild aqueous systems

“…[28][29][30] The crayfish exoskeleton is a Bio-inspired polymer-inorganic composites A Sugawara-Narutaki fascinating biomineral because of its remarkable mechanical properties. It consists mainly of chitin/protein microfibrils and CaCO 3 (calcite and ACC).…”

“…Real-time observation of CaCO 3 crystallization by polarizing optical microscopy drove us to speculate that the oriented film forms via amorphous-tocrystalline transformation. Comparable experiments using recombinant peptides and synthetic peptide fragments of CAP-1 reveal the role of each CAP-1 domain: 28,29 (1) rCAP-1, where the 70th pS is replaced with Ser, also gives oriented CaCO 3 thin films in which primary particle size (that of the nanocrystals comprising the thin film) increases. pS has a stronger inhibitory effect on CaCO 3 crystallization than does Ser and thus might stabilize ACC.…”