Polycationic peptides from diatom biosilica that direct silica nanosphere formation
Publikation: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Forschungsartikel › Beigetragen › Begutachtung
Beitragende
Abstract
Diatom cell walls are regarded as a paradigm for controlled production of nanostructured silica, but the mechanisms allowing biosilicification to proceed at ambient temperature at high rates have remained enigmatic. A set of polycationic peptides (called silaffins) isolated from diatom cell walls were shown to generate networks of silica nanospheres within seconds when added to a solution of silicic acid. Silaffins contain covalently modified lysine-lysine elements. The first lysine bears a polyamine consisting of 6 to 11 repeats of the N-methyl-propylamine unit. The second lysine was identified as ε-N,N-dimethyllysine. These modifications drastically influence the silica-precipitating activity of silaffins.
Details
Originalsprache | Englisch |
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Seiten (von - bis) | 1129-1132 |
Seitenumfang | 4 |
Fachzeitschrift | Science |
Jahrgang | 286 |
Ausgabenummer | 5442 |
Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 5 Nov. 1999 |
Peer-Review-Status | Ja |
Externe IDs
PubMed | 10550045 |
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