The role of the silicatein-alpha interactor silintaphin-1 in biomimetic biomineralization.

Biosilicification in sponges is initiated by formation of proteinaceous filaments, predominantly consisting of silicateins. Silicateins enzymatically catalyze condensation of silica nanospheres, resulting in symmetric skeletal elements (spicules). In order to create tailored biosilica structures in biomimetic approaches it is mandatory to elucidate proteins that are fundamental for the assembly of filaments. Silintaphin-1 is a core component of modularized filaments and also part of a spicule-enfolding layer. It bears no resemblance to other proteins, except for the presence of an interaction domain that is fundamental for its function as scaffold/template. In the presence of silicatein silintaphin-1 facilitates the formation of in vitro filaments. Also, it directs the assembly of gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles and surface-immobilized silicatein to rod-like biocomposites, synthetic spicules. Thus, silintaphin-1 will contribute to biomimetic approaches that pursue a controlled formation of patterned biosilica-based materials. Its combination with gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles and immobilized silicatein will furthermore inspire future biomedical applications and clinical diagnostics.

Selenium affects biosilica formation in the demosponge Suberites domuncula. Effect on gene expression and spicule formation.

Selenium is a trace element found in freshwater and the marine environment. We show that it plays a major role in spicule formation in the demosponge Suberites domuncula. If added to primmorphs, an in vitro sponge cell culture system, it stimulates the formation of siliceous spicules. Using differential display of transcripts, we demonstrate that, after a 72-h exposure of primmorphs to selenium, two genes are up-regulated; one codes for selenoprotein M and the other for a novel spicule-associated protein. The deduced protein sequence of selenoprotein M (14 kDa) shows characteristic features of metazoan selenoproteins. The spicule-associated protein (26 kDa) comprises six characteristic repeats of 20 amino acids, composed of 10 distinct hydrophobic regions ( approximately 9 amino acids in length). Recombinant proteins were prepared, and antibodies were raised against these two proteins. Both were found to stain the central axial filament, which comprises the silicatein, as well as the surface of the spicules. In the presence of selenium, only the genes for selenoprotein M and spicule-associated protein are up-regulated, whereas the expression of the silicatein gene remains unchanged. Finally we show that, in the presence of selenium, larger silica aggregates are formed. We conclude that selenium has a stimulatory effect on the formation of siliceous spicules in sponges, and it may be involved in the enzymatic synthesis of biosilica components.