Genes involved in biomineralization of the sea urchin embryo Paracentrotus lividus.

The skeleton of the sea urchin is composed of CaCO3 in the form of magnesium calcite and occluded matrix proteins. The biomineral formation begins at early embryonic developmental stages by a specialized population of cells, the primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), which express specific genes under a complex signaling control of transcription growth factors. The controlled expression of specific genes is required for the accumulation of the inorganic matter and the precipitation of the biomineral. In preliminary experiments, genes involved in the biomineralization during the early embryonic development of the Paracentrotus lividus were studied. Emphasis was given to the isolation and characterization of cDNA transcripts involved in the skeleton formation. The expression of various genes, including isoforms of carbonic anhydrase was monitored by qPCR and localized by in situ hybridization in whole mount embryos at different stages of the development. The ultimate goal of this study is the establishment of an in vitro system able to induce controlled crystal formation of structures of calcium carbonate, offering various nano-biotechnological applications.