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Analysis of Organo–Silica Interactions during Valve Formation in Synchronously Growing Cells of the Diatom Navicula pelliculosa
Author(s) -
Heredia Alejandro,
van der Strate Han J.,
Delgadillo Ivonne,
Basiuk Vladimir A.,
Vrieling Engel G.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
chembiochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1439-7633
pISSN - 1439-4227
DOI - 10.1002/cbic.200700313
Subject(s) - chemistry , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , hydrogen bond , polymerization , molecule , biomolecule , diatom , attenuated total reflection , infrared spectroscopy , crystallography , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , biochemistry , botany , biology , engineering , polymer
Biologically formed silica is produced at ambient conditions under the control of molecular and physicochemical processes that are apparently integrated in biosilica morphogenesis, but the mechanisms are not yet fully understood. With the recent identification of small polypeptides and proteins that are encapsulated inside the biosilica and functional in silica polymerization in vitro, it is of importance to determine whether interactions between inorganic silica species and these organic compounds occur in vivo. A time‐resolved analysis of valve formation in synchronously growing cells of the diatom species Navicula pelliculosa enabled us to characterize the relevant chemical bonds by attenuated total reflectance Fourier‐transformed infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy. Typically, inorganic bonds of SiOSi (bands at 1058, 843 cm −1 ), SiOH (3689 cm −1 ), and PO (1239 cm −1 ) and organic bonds of proteinaceous matter (with the amide I and II bands at 1642 and 1543 cm −1 , respectively) were positively identified during one cycle of valve formation. The observed variations in FTIR band intensity and location represented specific interactions between organic and inorganic molecules during the major silicification event, during which stretching of the SiO bonds was predominantly noticed. The experimentally obtained frequencies ( ν ) of the major bonds corresponded to those that were obtained by MM+ and PM3 FTIR simulations for organo–silica interactions based on biomolecules that are proposed to be involved in biosilica formation. The results indicated that hydrogen bonds originated from interactions, albeit weak, between organic phosphate or amine groups to the inorganic hydroxyl groups or oxygen atoms from the silicic acid and/or sili ca. The existence of covalent POSi bonds and electrostatic interactions could not be excluded. These interactions clearly suggest that biomolecules actively contribute to the silica polymerization process during valve formation in N. pelliculosa , and also might act comparably in other diatoms species in which similar biomolecules have been identified.