Cell wall physicochemical properties determine the thallus biomineralization pattern of Padina gymnospora...

Approximately half of the Padina (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) species mineralize aragonite needles over the adaxial thallus surface, where mineral bands are interspersed with nonmineralized regions along the thallus from the apical to basal end. However, this calcification pattern and the related algal properties are not well understood. Therefore, this work was performed to elucidate a potential role of cell walls in the inhibition/induction of mineralization in the brown alga Padina gymnospora. In a comparison of specific thallus regions, differences were identified in the cellulose distribution, microfibrils arrangement and thickness, distribution and abundance of phenolic substances, and physical differences among the surfaces of the thallus (deformation, adhesion, topography, and nano-rugosity). In vitro mineralization assays indicated that phenolic substances are strong modulators of calcium carbonate crystals growth. In addition, de novo mineralization assays over cell wall surfaces that were used as templates, even without cellular activity, indicated that the cell wall remains a key factor in the induction/inhibition of mineralization. Overall, the current findings indicate a strong correlation between the physico-chemical and structural properties of the cell wall and the alternation pattern of the mineralization bands over the thallus of P. gymnospora.