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The chitin synthase involved in marine bivalve mollusk shell formation contains a myosin domain
Author(s) -
Weiss Ingrid M.,
Schönitzer Veronika,
Eichner Norbert,
Sumper Manfred
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.02.044
Subject(s) - chitin , chitin synthase , mytilus , marine invertebrates , biology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , enzyme , myosin , chemistry , biophysics , ecology , chitosan
Chitin is a key component in mollusk nacre formation. However, the enzyme complex responsible for chitin deposition in the mollusk shell remained unknown. We cloned and characterized the chitin synthase of the marine bivalve mollusk Atrina rigida . We present here the first chitin synthase sequence from invertebrates containing an unconventional myosin motor head domain. We further show that a homologous gene for chitin synthase is expressed in the shell forming tissue of larval Mytilus galloprovincialis even in early embryonic stages. The new data presented here are the first clear‐cut indication for a functional role of cytoskeletal forces in the precisely controlled mineral deposition process of mollusk shell biogenesis.