University-business partnership helps to solve silica puzzle
Posted on 23 December 2010
Researchers from the Departments of Chemistry and Archaeology used a prototype ultra-high resolution mass spectrometer made by Bruker Daltonics in Germany to determine the unusual structure of the protein found in the metre-long stalk of the glass rope sponge.
This was a great example of the way scientists can work with industrial partners to address challenging scientific problems
Professor Jane Thomas-Oates
The York scientists were part of an international team examining the mineralization of the stalk which established the process was due to the presence of hydroxylated collagen. The research is published in the journal Nature Chemistry.
Professor Jane Thomas-Oates, of the University’s Department of Chemistry, and bio-archaeologist Professor Matthew Collins and Dr David Ashford, of the Department of Biology, collaborated with Bruker to carry out the analyses. They used the maXis instrument to show that the primitive protein in the stalk had a distinctive extra hydroxyl group that allows the silica spicule to form.
Professor Collins said: “It has this unusual characteristic that allows silica to develop along the length of the fibre. These spines take hundreds of years to grow and they embed themselves in the sand in the deep ocean. It was such an unexpected structure.
“What bioengineering in evolution has done is fantastic. Just by putting in this extra hydroxyl grouping it has done something completely different.”
Professor Thomas-Oates added: “This was a great example of the way scientists can work with industrial partners to address challenging scientific problems.”
Since the experiments in Germany, the Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry at the University of York has now taken delivery of a similar mass spectrometer from Bruker.
Notes to editors:
- More on the University of York’s Department of Chemistry at www.york.ac.uk/chemistry/
- More on the University of York’s Department of Biology at www.york.ac.uk/biology
- More on Bruker at www.bruker.com
- The paper ‘Mineralization of the metre-long biosilicastructures of glass sponges is templated on hydroxylated collagen’ is available at www.nature.com/nchem/journal/v2/n12/full/nchem.899.html
Contact details
Keep up to date
Subscribe to news feeds
