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Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Calcium Carbonate Formation in the Presence of Biopolymeric Additives
Published on: May 14, 2019
Galacturonomannan and Golgi-derived membrane linked to growth and shaping of biogenic calcite
M E Marsh1, A L Ridall, P Azadi
1Department of Basic Sciences, The University of Texas Dental Branch, 6516 M. D. Anderson Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA. Mary.E.Marsh@uth.tmc.edu
Abstract:
The coccolithophores are valuable models for the design and synthesis of composite materials, because the cellular machinery controlling the nucleation, growth, and patterning of their calcitic scales (coccoliths) can be examined genetically. The coccoliths are formed within the Golgi complex and are the major CaCO(3) component in limestone sediments-particularly those of the Cretaceous period. In this study, we describe mutants lacking a sulfated galacturonomannan and show that this polysaccharide in conjunction with the Golgi-derived membrane is directly linked to the growth and shaping of coccolith calcite but not to the initial orientated nucleation of the mineral phase.
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