Molecular Determinants of Calcitic Biomineralization.

鸡蛋壳制造中的缺陷是人类健康和食品安全问题;营养丰富的餐桌鸡蛋是世界各地生活在贫困中的数亿人的蛋白质，矿物质和维生素的重要来源。在加拿大，估计每年约有10，000例沙门氏菌中毒事件是由于破裂的蛋壳污染而进入食物链。从这个意义上说，蛋壳的方解石生物矿化的可再生性对人类社会至关重要。在过去的20年里，我的研究项目调查了在这种生物矿化屏障上发挥作用的综合防御策略。我的研究揭示了蛋壳基质中的蛋白质成分如何调节碳酸钙晶体的成核和生长，以了解蛋壳机械性能的调节。此外，我们已经证明了抗菌蛋壳基质蛋白（EMP）的双重功能，调节矿化的壳屏障，保持无病原体状态的鸡蛋。

Flaws in chicken eggshell fabrication are a human health and food safety issue; the nutritious table egg is an important source of protein, minerals and vitamins for 100’s of millions of individuals living in poverty worldwide. In Canada it is estimated that about 10,000 annual cases of salmonella poisoning are due to contamination of cracked eggshells that find their way into the food chain. In this sense, the reproducible nature of calcitic biomineralization of the eggshell is of critical concern to human society. My research program during the past 20 years has investigated the integrated defense strategies that function at this biomineralized barrier. My studies have revealed how protein components of the eggshell matrix modulate calcium carbonate crystal nucleation and growth in order to understand regulation of eggshell mechanical properties. Moreover, we have demonstrated the dual function of antimicrobial eggshell matrix proteins (EMPs) that regulate mineralization of the shell barrier which maintains the pathogen-free status of the egg.