Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium
The biomineralization process is a mechanism inherent to all organisms of the Earth. Throughout the decades, diverse works have reported that the origin of life is tied to crystals, specifically to biominerals of silica that catalyzed RNA, and had some influence in the homochirality. Although the me...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Crystals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/7/591 |
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| author | Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz Karina Sandra Pérez María Eugenia Mendoza Abel Moreno |
| author_facet | Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz Karina Sandra Pérez María Eugenia Mendoza Abel Moreno |
| author_sort | Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The biomineralization process is a mechanism inherent to all organisms of the Earth. Throughout the decades, diverse works have reported that the origin of life is tied to crystals, specifically to biominerals of silica that catalyzed RNA, and had some influence in the homochirality. Although the mechanism by which crystals surfaces (minerals) gave origin to life has not yet been proven, the truth is that, up to the present, biominerals are being synthetized by the organisms of different kingdoms in two basic ways: biologically induced and biologically controlled biomineralization. Paradoxically, this fact makes a fundamental difference between inorganic materials and those formed by living organisms, as the latter are associated with macromolecules that are bound to the mineral phase. Conserving growth and formation of these biogenic organic crystals inside cells is a fascinating subject that has been studied mainly in some of the kingdoms, like <i>Monera</i> (bacteria), <i>Fungi</i> (yeasts), and <i>Animalia</i> (<i>Homo sapiens</i>). Notwithstanding in the <i>Plantae</i> kingdom, the formation, conservation, and functions of crystals has not yet been completely elucidated and described, which is of particular relevance because life on Earth, as we know it, would not be possible without plants. The aim of the present work is to revise the different crystals of calcium oxalate synthetized inside the cells of plants, as well as to identify the mechanism of their formation and their possible functions in plants. The last part is related to the existence of certain proteins called phototropins, which not only work as the blue-light sensors, but they also play an important role on the accumulation of calcium in vacuoles. This new trend is shortly reviewed to explain the characteristics and their plausible role in the calcium uptake along with the biomineralization processes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:35:18Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:35:18Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crystals |
| spelling | doaj.art-200c1f671cb946889e73aab6f918bbb82023-11-20T06:16:02ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522020-07-0110759110.3390/cryst10070591Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of CalciumMayra Cuéllar-Cruz0Karina Sandra Pérez1María Eugenia Mendoza2Abel Moreno3Departamento de Biología, División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, campus Guanajuato, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n Col. Noria Alta, Guanajuato 36050, MexicoInstituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, México City 04510, MexicoInstituto de Física, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. Av. San Claudio y 18 Sur, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla 72570, MexicoInstituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, México City 04510, MexicoThe biomineralization process is a mechanism inherent to all organisms of the Earth. Throughout the decades, diverse works have reported that the origin of life is tied to crystals, specifically to biominerals of silica that catalyzed RNA, and had some influence in the homochirality. Although the mechanism by which crystals surfaces (minerals) gave origin to life has not yet been proven, the truth is that, up to the present, biominerals are being synthetized by the organisms of different kingdoms in two basic ways: biologically induced and biologically controlled biomineralization. Paradoxically, this fact makes a fundamental difference between inorganic materials and those formed by living organisms, as the latter are associated with macromolecules that are bound to the mineral phase. Conserving growth and formation of these biogenic organic crystals inside cells is a fascinating subject that has been studied mainly in some of the kingdoms, like <i>Monera</i> (bacteria), <i>Fungi</i> (yeasts), and <i>Animalia</i> (<i>Homo sapiens</i>). Notwithstanding in the <i>Plantae</i> kingdom, the formation, conservation, and functions of crystals has not yet been completely elucidated and described, which is of particular relevance because life on Earth, as we know it, would not be possible without plants. The aim of the present work is to revise the different crystals of calcium oxalate synthetized inside the cells of plants, as well as to identify the mechanism of their formation and their possible functions in plants. The last part is related to the existence of certain proteins called phototropins, which not only work as the blue-light sensors, but they also play an important role on the accumulation of calcium in vacuoles. This new trend is shortly reviewed to explain the characteristics and their plausible role in the calcium uptake along with the biomineralization processes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/7/591crystallization of proteinscrystallization of macromolecular complexesin vivo crystalsorganisms of the different kingdomscalcium uptakephototropins |
| spellingShingle | Mayra Cuéllar-Cruz Karina Sandra Pérez María Eugenia Mendoza Abel Moreno Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium Crystals crystallization of proteins crystallization of macromolecular complexes in vivo crystals organisms of the different kingdoms calcium uptake phototropins |
| title | Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium |
| title_full | Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium |
| title_fullStr | Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium |
| title_short | Biocrystals in Plants: A Short Review on Biomineralization Processes and the Role of Phototropins into the Uptake of Calcium |
| title_sort | biocrystals in plants a short review on biomineralization processes and the role of phototropins into the uptake of calcium |
| topic | crystallization of proteins crystallization of macromolecular complexes in vivo crystals organisms of the different kingdoms calcium uptake phototropins |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/10/7/591 |
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