Controlled Deposition and Transformation of Iron Biominerals in Chiton Radula Teeth

Abstract

Biosynthesis of solid phases containing iron as a major constituent, that is, iron biominerals, is now known to occur in various unicellular organisms, multicellular tissues and extracellular matrix material, as described in several recent monographs and reviews [1–5]. These phases can be crystalline, amorphous or partly crystalline/partly amorphous. The dimensions of the individual biomineral deposits vary, but are generally less than one micron with the smallest known being the particle within the protein shell of ferritin [6] which is less than 8 nm in diameter.Due to the small scale dimensions of iron biominerals, they are instances of nanospace materials. In addition, iron biominerals can be components of composite materials where the iron-containing phases are organized with other inorganic components and organic components such as proteins and polysaccharides in the construction of the biological tissue or structure. Both nanospace materials and composite materials are of considerable interest and relevance to the development of new specialist materials and emerging technologies [7] and thus the mineralization of iron continues to attract considerable attention.