Biomineralization Project
Biomineralization in corals: study of proton transport.
Biominerals, mineral structures formed by organisms, are extremely widespread in the living world. In reef-building corals, the process of biomineralization leads to the formation of an exoskeleton consisting of crystallized calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite. Mineralization takes place under biological control involving a synthesis of organic molecules, a supply of calcium and bicarbonate ions as well as a regulation of the pH at the site of skeleton formation.
The CSM Coral Physiology team has already shown that a Ca2+-ATPase, present in mineralizing cells, can act as a calcium/proton antiporter. Its objective is now to characterize from a molecular point of view all the transporters involved in the transport of protons. Using physiological approaches, the team also determined the pH gradients existing between the mineralizing cells and the environment that surrounds them, as well as the influence of environmental parameters.
Laurent Counillon's team has expertise in studying the kinetics, regulation and pharmacology of Na+/H+ exchangers and ion channels. This team also has expertise in measuring the regulation of cytosolic pH and intracellular compartments. She is actively collaborating with physicists from the Institut de Physique de Nice on the construction of a mathematical model describing these pH regulation mechanisms, in relation to transport mechanisms, the role of CO2 and membrane potential. The aim of this project is to provide new knowledge on biomineralization in coral by modeling molecular and physiological data on proton transport.
This project is jointly led by the Laboratory of Molecular PhysioMedicine (LP2M) of the University Côte d'Azur and the Scientific Center of Monaco (CSM).
Teams involved in the "Bioremineralization" Project:
- CSM : Team "Physiology and Biochemistry" Sylvie Tambutté, Didier Zoccola, Alexander Venn,
- UCA: LP2M : Laurent Counillon, Mallorie Poët, Gisèle Jarretou