The making of a sea shell: function and evolution of genes encoding calcareous architectures of phenomenal strength, purity and beauty

软体动物的外壳由微观层的板状碳酸钙晶体和具有精确纳米级结构的薄层蛋白质组成。这种结构产生了一种高性能的复合材料，超越了目前人类工程的能力。这项综合研究将阐明控制这些结构制造的分子机制。这些知识将对先进电子和能量换能器、人骨治疗和海洋材料的开发做出重大贡献。基于产品，如珍珠和水泥，通过识别潜在的生物制造网络的基因和体外生物生产系统的发展。

The mollusc shell is composed of microscopic layers of tabular calcium carbonate crystals and thin sheets of proteins with precise nanoscale architectures. This configuration produces a high-performance composite material that exceeds the present capabilities of human engineering. This integrated study will elucidate the molecular mechanisms controlling the fabrication of these architectures. This knowledge will contribute significantly to the development of materials for advanced electronics and energy transducers, human bone therapeutics and marine?based products such as pearls and cements, through the identification of genes underlying biofabrication networks and the development of in vitro bioproduction systems.