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Calcium Carbonate Mineralization: Involvement of Extracellular Polymeric Materials Isolated from Calcifying Bacteria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2012

Claudia Ercole ,
Paola Bozzelli ,
Fabio Altieri ,
Paola Cacchio  and
Maddalena Del Gallo
Claudia Ercole*
Affiliation:
Department of Basic and Applied Biology, University of L'Aquila, 67010 L'Aquila, Italy
Paola Bozzelli
Affiliation:
Department of Basic and Applied Biology, University of L'Aquila, 67010 L'Aquila, Italy
Fabio Altieri
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Paola Cacchio
Affiliation:
Department of Basic and Applied Biology, University of L'Aquila, 67010 L'Aquila, Italy
Maddalena Del Gallo
Affiliation:
Department of Basic and Applied Biology, University of L'Aquila, 67010 L'Aquila, Italy
*
Corresponding author. E-mail: claudia.ercole@univaq.it
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Abstract

This study highlights the role of specific outer bacterial structures, such as the glycocalix, in calcium carbonate crystallization in vitro. We describe the formation of calcite crystals by extracellular polymeric materials, such as exopolysaccharides (EPS) and capsular polysaccharides (CPS) isolated from Bacillus firmus and Nocardia calcarea. Organic matrices were isolated from calcifying bacteria grown on synthetic medium—in the presence or absence of calcium ions—and their effect on calcite precipitation was assessed. Scanning electron microscopy observations and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry analysis showed that CPS and EPS fractions were involved in calcium carbonate precipitation, not only serving as nucleation sites but also through a direct role in crystal formation. The utilization of different synthetic media, with and without addition of calcium ions, influenced the biofilm production and protein profile of extracellular polymeric materials. Proteins of CPS fractions with a molecular mass between 25 and 70 kDa were overexpressed when calcium ions were present in the medium. This higher level of protein synthesis could be related to the active process of bioprecipitation.

Keywords

calcite precipitationEPSCPSbiofilmcalcifying bacteriahistoric monument protection
Type
Biological Applications: Techniques, Software, and Equipment Development
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 18 , Issue 4 , August 2012 , pp. 829 - 839
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2012

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