[Novel Water-Soluble Substrate for Silicateins]

We suggested to use tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)orthosilicate (THEOS) as a substrate for silicateins--an enzyme family playing a key role in formation of skeleton in marine sponges. We compared THEOS with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS)--a commonly used substrate for silicateins. These substrates were tested in reaction of amorphous silica formation in vitro catalyzed by silicatein Al from sponge Latrunculia oparinae. It was found that reaction with THEOS occurs more efficiently than with TEOS, probably due to high water solubility and higher hydrolysis rate of THEOS.