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Control of Biogenic Nanocrystal Formation in Biomineralization
Author(s) -
Addadi Lia,
Gal Assaf,
Faivre Damien,
Scheffel André,
Weiner Steve
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
israel journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.908
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1869-5868
pISSN - 0021-2148
DOI - 10.1002/ijch.201500038
Subject(s) - biomineralization , nanocrystal , magnetotactic bacteria , nucleation , chemistry , nanoscopic scale , nanotechnology , nanometre , crystal growth , mineralization (soil science) , greigite , crystallography , chemical engineering , mineralogy , bacteria , materials science , geology , paleontology , organic chemistry , engineering , pyrite , nitrogen
Many organisms build crystals with almost complete control over all aspects of crystal formation, from nucleation to growth, from composition to polymorphic structure, and from morphology to size. In biomineralization, the control is fundamentally always exerted at the level of nanometers, because the building blocks themselves are at the nanoscale. We have chosen to describe in some detail four biological systems that produce nanoscale crystals using different mineralization pathways, different levels of control, and have different functions. These four cases are: bone crystal composites; guanine nanocrystal reflectors; magnetotactic bacteria with single domain magnets; and coccoliths, whose functions have yet to be identified. This is followed by a discussion aimed at identifying possible specific and/or common underlying principles involved in nanocrystal formation in biology.