DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0806604105. Transformation mechanism of amorphous calcium carbonate into calcite in the sea urchin larval spicule

Transformation mechanism of amorphous calcium carbonate into calcite in the sea urchin larval spicule

10.1073/pnas.0806604105

Crossref journal-article

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)

Abstract

Sea urchin larval spicules transform amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) into calcite single crystals. The mechanism of transformation is enigmatic: the transforming spicule displays both amorphous and crystalline properties, with no defined crystallization front. Here, we use X-ray photoelectron emission spectromicroscopy with probing size of 40–200 nm. We resolve 3 distinct mineral phases: An initial short-lived, presumably hydrated ACC phase, followed by an intermediate transient form of ACC, and finally the biogenic crystalline calcite phase. The amorphous and crystalline phases are juxtaposed, often appearing in adjacent sites at a scale of tens of nanometers. We propose that the amorphous-crystal transformation propagates in a tortuous path through preexisting 40- to 100-nm amorphous units, via a secondary nucleation mechanism.

Bibliography

Politi, Y., Metzler, R. A., Abrecht, M., Gilbert, B., Wilt, F. H., Sagi, I., Addadi, L., Weiner, S., & Gilbert, P. U. P. A. (2008). Transformation mechanism of amorphous calcium carbonate into calcite in the sea urchin larval spicule. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(45), 17362â17366.

Authors 9

Yael Politi (first)
Rebecca A. Metzler (additional)
Mike Abrecht (additional)
Benjamin Gilbert (additional)
Fred H. Wilt (additional)
Irit Sagi (additional)
Lia Addadi (additional)
Steve Weiner (additional)
P. U. P. A. Gilbert (additional)

References 41 Referenced 390

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Dates

Type	When
Created	16 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 5, 2008, 9:25 p.m.)
Deposited	3 years, 4 months ago (April 12, 2022, 5:15 p.m.)
Indexed	3 days, 23 hours ago (Aug. 23, 2025, 9:14 p.m.)
Issued	16 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2008)
Published	16 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2008)
Published Online	16 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2008)
Published Print	16 years, 9 months ago (Nov. 11, 2008)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Politi_2008, title={Transformation mechanism of amorphous calcium carbonate into calcite in the sea urchin larval spicule}, volume={105}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0806604105}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.0806604105}, number={45}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Politi, Yael and Metzler, Rebecca A. and Abrecht, Mike and Gilbert, Benjamin and Wilt, Fred H. and Sagi, Irit and Addadi, Lia and Weiner, Steve and Gilbert, P. U. P. A.}, year={2008}, month=nov, pages={17362–17366} }

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