Guanine-based photonic crystals in fish scales form from an amorphous precursor

Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Dvir Gur - , Weizmann Institute of Science (Author)
  • Yael Politi - , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (Author)
  • Berta Sivan - , Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Author)
  • Peter Fratzl - , Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (Author)
  • Steve Weiner - , Weizmann Institute of Science (Author)
  • Lia Addadi - , Weizmann Institute of Science (Author)

Abstract

Starting from disorder: Anhydrous guanine crystals compose the photonic arrays responsible for the skin and scale iridescence found in Japanese Koi fish. These guanine crystals were found to form in intracellular vesicles (see picture) through an amorphous precursor phase. A combined cryo-SEM and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction study showed the evolution of the crystals in great detail.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)388-391
Number of pages4
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume52
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jan 2013
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 22951999
ORCID /0000-0002-2872-8277/work/142239166

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Amorphous materials, Biogenic guanine crystals, Photonic crystals, Structural colors, X-ray diffraction

Library keywords