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    Science. 1999 Nov 5;286(5442):1129-32.

    Polycationic peptides from diatom biosilica that direct silica nanosphere formation.

    Source

    Lehrstuhl Biochemie I, Universität Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. nils.kroeger@vkl.uni-regensburg.de

    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 epsilon-N,N-dimethyl-lysine. These modifications drastically influence the silica-precipitating activity of silaffins.

    PMID:
    10550045
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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