Non-Skeletal Biomineralization by Eukaryotes: Matters of Moment and Gravity
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Date
2010
Author(s)
Raven, John A.
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
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Citation
Raven, John A., and Andrew H. Knoll. 2010. Non-skeletal biomineralization by eukaryotes: matters of moment and gravity. Geomicrobiology Journal 27(6&7): 572-584.
Abstract
Skeletal biomineralisation by microbial eukaryotes significantly affects the global biogeochemical cycles of carbon, silicon and calcium. Non-skeletal biomineralisation by eukaryotic cells, with precipitates retained within the cell interior, can duplicate some of the functions of skeletal minerals, e.g., increased cell density, but not the mechanical and antibiophage functions of extracellular biominerals. However, skeletal biomineralisation does not duplicate many of the functions of non-skeletal biominerals. These functions include magnetotaxis (magnetite), gravity sensing (intracellular barite, bassanite, celestite and gypsum), buffering and storage of elements in an osmotically inactive form (calcium as carbonate, oxalate, polyphosphate and sulfate; phosphate as polyphosphate) and acid-base regulation, disposing of excess hydroxyl ions via an osmotically inactive product (calcium carbonate, calcium oxalate). Although polyphosphate has a wide phylogenetic distribution among microbial eukaryotes, other non-skeletal minerals have more restricted distributions, and as yet there seems to be no definitive evidence that the alkaline earth components (Ba and Sr) of barite and celestite are essential for completion of the life cycle in organisms that produce these minerals.
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Item type:Story, Non-Skeletal Biomineralization by Eukaryotes: Matters of… : DASH Story 2013-04-23This information is very helpful and I didn't find it available elsewhere. Thanks!Item type:Story, Non-Skeletal Biomineralization by Eukaryotes: Matters of… : DASH Story 2015-01-24I am hoping to get a place on an Oxford PhD scheme and for this I have to put together a mini project proposal. It is hard to put together an application that is academically rigorous without citing a range of literature, and it is not possible to cite literature unless you have read it. Without access to journal articles such as this, it would be very difficult to create a well referenced document and would skew favour towards potential candidates who could afford/were already enrolled in institutions that could afford the widest journal access. So thank you for making this document open access - it might help land me a PhD :)Item type:Story, Non-Skeletal Biomineralization by Eukaryotes: Matters of… : DASH Story 2016-02-12I am studying for an "Ecology of Microorganism". We mentioned that sulfate might be produced biologically. We had an example of celestine and barit. I wanted to know more about how barit can be produced and how it is connected with gravitropism and found your article. Thank you very much!