[Biomineralization--precision of shape, structure and properties controlled by proteins]

ABSTRACT Biomineralization is the process of the formation of crystal structures that is under biological control. Living organisms produce structures such as bone, teeth, otoliths, otoconia or shells. Although the chemical composition of these tissues is similar to corresponding inorganic minerals, their structure and mechanical properties differ significantly. This may be because of how they are adapted for the functions they perform. The precise control of the formation of biominerals starting with the early nucleation stage influences how the final tissues are formed. The key factors which determine the size, shape, internal structure and properties of biominerals are proteins which control the nucleation and growth of the crystals. Biomineralization is a multi-step process involving protein-protein interactions, as well as interactions between proteins and inorganic fraction. Due to their specific properties, intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) perform a particularly important role in the control of the biomineralization process. This article contains an overview of biominerals that are naturally occurring and describes the structures and mineralization mechanisms of the most important of them. The main part of this work was dedicated to the role of proteins which control crystal growth.