The structure of mollusc larval shells formed in the presence of the chitin synthase inhibitor Nikkomycin Z

Schönitzer, Veronika; Weiss, Ingrid M.

doi:10.1186/1472-6807-7-71

Cited by 77 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…We also speculate that elevated seawater CO 2 influenced biological processes responsible for larval shell calcification. In a study of molecular mechanisms of larval shell formation, Weiss & Schönitzer (2006) demonstrated the presence of chitinous material in the larval shell of M. galloprovincialis; in a subsequent study, Schönitzer & Weiss (2007) showed that larval shell formation was radically impaired by treatment of the M. galloprovincialis larvae with a chitin synthesis inhibitor, Nikkomycin Z. Observed types of larval shell malformation at the organism scale included asymmetry of the 2 shell valves, reduced size, shell undulation, and convex hinge, which are similar to our observations in high-CO 2 exposed embryos.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of elevated pCO2 on early development in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Kurihara¹,

Asai²,

Kato³

et al. 2008

Aquat. Biol.

141

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We investigated the effects of seawater equilibrated with CO 2 -enriched air (2000 ppm, pH 7.4) on the early development of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussel embryos were incubated for 144 h (6 d) in control and high-CO 2 seawater to compare embryogenesis, larval growth and morphology with ordinary light, polarized light, and scanning electron microscopy. Embryogenesis was unaffected by exposure to high-CO 2 seawater up to the trochophore stage, but development at the trochophore stage was delayed when the shell began to form. All veliger larvae of the high-CO 2 group showed morphological abnormalities such as convex hinge, protrusion of the mantle and malformation of shells. Larval height and length were 26 ± 1.9% and 20 ± 1.1% smaller, respectively, in the high-CO 2 group than in the control at 144 h. These results are consistent with our previous findings of CO 2 effects on early development of the oyster Crassostrea gigas, although the severity of CO 2 damage appears to be less in M. galloprovincialis, possibly due to differing spawning seasons (oyster: summer; mussel: winter). Results from this and the previous study indicate that high CO 2 (2000 ppm) interferes with early development, particularly with larval shell synthesis, of bivalves; however, vulnerability to high CO 2 differs between species. Taken together with recent studies demonstrating negative impacts of high CO 2 on adult mussels and oysters, results imply a future decrease of bivalve populations in the oceans, unless acclimation to the predicted environmental alteration occurs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of elevated pCO2 on early development in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Kurihara¹,

Asai²,

Kato³

et al. 2008

Aquat. Biol.

141

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In vivo experiments showed that chitin synthesis is closely linked to cell division, the development of tissues and organs, and the overall symmetry of the body plan. This explains to some extent, why in the particular case of mollusc larval shell development, the presence of tiny amounts of the chitin synthase inhibitor NikkomycinZ during growth prevented proper shell formation on different levels of hierarchy [135].…”

Section: Myosin Chitin Synthases and Biomineralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Surprisingly, they were still alive and active. The shell remnants were irregular, sensitive to etching by water and mechanically instable [64,135].…”

Section: Encoding Mollusc Shell Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Especially the hinge requires a restrictive control of mineralization in order to guarantee its functionality. Some possible scenarios how chitin could be functionally involved in the coordination of cells and tissues are discussed in [64,135,180].…”

Section: Encoding Mollusc Shell Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The chitin synthase inhibitor NikkomycinZ interferes with larval shell formation in vivo [135]. This "small-molecule" drug, a nucleosid peptide with structural similarity to UDP-GlcNAc, is transported into the cells via cellular peptide transport systems.…”

Section: Encoding Mollusc Shell Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

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Species-specific shells: Chitin synthases and cell mechanics in molluscs

Weiss¹

2012

Zeitschrift Für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials

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Abstract. The size, morphology and species-specific texture of mollusc shell biominerals is one of the unresolved questions in nature. In search of molecular control principles, chitin has been identified by Weiner and Traub (FEBS Lett. 1980, 111 : 311-316) as one of the organic compounds with a defined co-organization with mineral phases. Chitin fibers can be aligned with certain mineralogical axes of crystalline calcium carbonate in a speciesspecific manner. These original observations motivated the functional characterization of chitin forming enzymes in molluscs. The full-length cDNA cloning of mollusc chitin synthases identified unique myosin domains as part of the biological control system. The potential impact of molecular motors and other conserved domains of these complex transmembrane enzymes on the evolution of shell biomineralization is investigated and discussed in this article. Chitin in organisms Chitin in extracellular matrices of cellsIn the end of the 19th century, there was a hot debate regarding the chemical nature of chitin. It lasted until acetylated glucosamine was found in alkaline melts of the carapace of diverse arthropods in contrast to tunicate cellulose [1], and "mycosin" of fungi in contrast to "fungal cellulose" (reviewed by [2]). Today, fungi are well accepted as one of the most prominent groups of eukaryotic organisms which contain chitin as part of their extracellular matrix [3]. Since chitin is usually associated with proteins, complex carbohydrates and sometimes mineral phases, it remains a challenge until today to characterize the diversity of cell walls and integuments in both, uni-and multicellular organisms [4][5][6][7][8][9]. One of the best examples for naturally pure chitin are cell wall appendices of diatoms [10,11], and some enzymes involved in their formation have recently been identified [12,13]. As originally determined by fiber diffraction studies [14-17], three major modifications of chitin are distinguished: a-, b-, and g-chitin [18,19], which differ from each other by the arrangement and molar fractions of differently oriented poly-N-acetylated linear b(1!4) glucosamine (i.e. chitobiose homopolymer, Fig. 1) backbones. They assemble into fiber crystals which are stabilized by H-bonds in either two or three dimensions [4,20,21]. Squids such as the European Squid Loligo vulgaris or the Humboldt squid Dosidicus gigas, which are members of the molluscan class Cephalopoda, perform the biosynthesis of different chitin polymorphs in a tissuespecific manner. The chitinous organs are associated with different sets of proteins [22]. The N-acetyl-glucosamine (GlcNAc) chains are assembled into fibrils and hierarchical structures in order to accomodate specific functions such as mechanical stiffness and strength [23,24]. This is important for the functional design, e.g. of insect exoskeletons and additional functions such as structural colours and adhesive micro-pillar appendages [25,26].A major achievement is the abundant information regarding primary structures of enzyme...

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Bioinspired Chitinous Material Solutions for Environmental Sustainability and Medicine

Fernandez

Ingber

2013

Adv Funct Materials

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Chitin—the second most abundant organic material on earth—is a polysaccharide that combines with proteinaceous materials to form composites that provide the structural backbone of insect cuticles, crustacean exoskeletons, cephalopod shells and covering surfaces of many other living organisms. Although chitin and its related chitosan materials have been used in various industrial and medical applications based on their chemical properties, their unique mechanical functions have not date been leveraged for commercial applications. The use of chitinous materials for structural applications has been limited by our inability to reproduce, or even fully understand, the complex hierarchical designs behind naturally occurring chitin composites. In this article, an example of engineered chitinous materials is used to introduce the reader to the potential value that bioinspired materials offer for engineering of synthetic and biological materials. The nature of chitin and its general characteristics are first reviewed, and examples of chitinous structures are presented that are designed to perform very different functions, such as nacre and the insect cuticle. Investigation of the structural organization of these materials leads to understanding of the principles of natural materials design that are beginning to be harnessed to fabricate biologically‐inspired composites for materials engineering with tunable properties that mimic living materials, which might provide useful for environmental challenges, as well as medical applications.

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The structure of mollusc larval shells formed in the presence of the chitin synthase inhibitor Nikkomycin Z

Cited by 77 publications

References 57 publications

Effects of elevated pCO2 on early development in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Effects of elevated pCO2 on early development in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Species-specific shells: Chitin synthases and cell mechanics in molluscs

Bioinspired Chitinous Material Solutions for Environmental Sustainability and Medicine

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