RUI: Seasonal Turnover of Organic Matrix Collagen in Octocoral Spicules

RUI：八珊瑚骨针中有机基质胶原蛋白的季节性周转

• 批准号: 9205674
• 负责人: Roni Kingsley
• 金额: $ 13.63万
• 依托单位: University of Richmond
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1992
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1992-09-15 至 1996-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9205674&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Seasonal; Turnover; Organic; Matrix

Calcification is an extremely widespread phenomenon occurring in organisms as diverse as bacteria, plants, sponges, clams and humans. Among the invertebrates, there are calcified structures that cover or encase their bodies such as coral reefs, snail shells, crab exoskeletons and sea urchin tests and spines. Other invertebrates form numerous usually microscopic calcified structures that impregnate the body called spicules or ossicles. The octocoral or sea whip Leptogorgia virgulata is an excellent example of an animal possessing elaborate spicules throughout its body. Like most invertebrate calcified structures, these spicules contain an internal organic matrix that provides a framework for the deposition of calcium carbonate. What is unusual, however, is our discovery that this octocoral spicule matrix contains collagen, a protein that is critical in the formation of bones and teeth, but is rarely associated with invertebrate calcium carbonate structure. Furthermore, this octocoral collagen varies seasonally, being predominant in the summer. This three-year project will explore in depth the relationships between octocoral spicule calcification over time will be studied using a variety of specific markers. For example, tetracycline is a fluorescent marker and 45Ca is a radioactive calcification. Radiolabelled proline and specific antibody markers that we have recently developed, mark collagen synthesis. These components can be visualized through fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy, and measured by quantifying the amount of label present. Bone remodelling involves changes in acidity and enzyme spicules using enzymatic reactions and other specific antibody markers. An important dimension of this project is the involvement of student investigators.

钙化是一种极其普遍的现象，发生在细菌、植物、海绵、蛤和人类等多种生物体中。在无脊椎动物中，有覆盖或包围其身体的钙化结构，例如珊瑚礁、蜗牛壳、螃蟹外骨骼以及海胆测试和刺。其他无脊椎动物形成许多通常微观的钙化结构，这些结构充满身体，称为针状体或小骨。 八珊瑚或海鞭 Leptogorgia virgulata 是全身拥有精致针状体的动物的绝佳例子。与大多数无脊椎动物钙化结构一样，这些针状体含有内部有机基质，为碳酸钙的沉积提供框架。然而，不同寻常的是，我们发现这种八珊瑚骨针基质含有胶原蛋白，这种蛋白质对于骨骼和牙齿的形成至关重要，但很少与无脊椎动物的碳酸钙结构相关。 此外，这种八珊瑚胶原蛋白随季节变化，在夏季占主导地位。这个为期三年的项目将深入探索八珊瑚骨针钙化随时间的关系，并将使用各种特定标记物进行研究。例如，四环素是荧光标记物，45Ca是放射性钙化物。我们最近开发的放射性标记脯氨酸和特异性抗体标记物可标记胶原蛋白的合成。这些成分可以通过荧光和透射电子显微镜观察，并通过量化存在的标记量来测量。骨重塑涉及使用酶反应和其他特异性抗体标记物改变酸度和酶针。该项目的一个重要方面是学生调查员的参与。