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Molecular Characterisation of Chiton Radula Biomineralisation
Abstract

Molecular Characterisation of Chiton Radula Biomineralisation

Kevin J Adamson, Lesley R Brooker, Abigail Elizur, Anna V Kuballa and Scott F Cummins
International Symposium on Biomineralization (Biomin): Building Bridges, 11th (Sunshine Coast, Australia, 10-Jul-2011–14-Jul-2011)
2011
url
http://www.usc.edu.au/View
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Abstract

Microbiology chiton radula biomineralisation
Chitons are predominantly intertidal marine molluscs with a worldwide distribution. They live mainly on rock surfaces, under rocks and in crevices, where they feed by using a radula to rasp algae from the rock surface. The chiton radula is a conveyor belt of teeth at various stages of mineralisation, commencing at the immature end with an organic framework and progressing through iron and then calcium deposition regions to produce a mature tooth capped with magnetite over a core of calcium phosphate. It is this feature of having teeth at each stage of biomineralisation that makes the chiton radula such an ideal subject for study. Gene expression studies on the Western Australian chiton Acanthopleura hirtosa using microarrays and in situ hybridisation identified spatially specific expression profiles for each stage of radula development. Further investigation on the Queensland chiton A. gaimardi through next generation sequencing has revealed a high level of sequence conservation between the two species. Transcriptome analysis of the radula sac of A. gaimardi identified sequences with similarities to genes involved in iron and calcium deposition and proteins with chitin binding domains. Microarray results for A. hirtosa have identified a number of candidate genes from each of the three developmental regions. Whole mount in situ hybridisation on genes coding for proteins with chitin binding or calcium binding domains has been used to determine spatial expression of these genes along the radula of A. gaimardi.

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