Liu Dongting, Lin Yongyi, He Maoxian, Shi Yu
Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture (CAS), CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture (CAS), CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Feb;288:138767. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.138767. Epub 2024 Dec 13.
Archivesica marissinica is a dominant species inhabiting the Haima cold seep in the South China Sea. However, the composition, characterization and specific functions of conserved and unique shell matrix proteins (SMPs) in A. marissinica remain unknown. This study identified 266 shell matrix proteins in A. marissinica. Among them, two conserved SMPs, AmSMP1 protein and Pif-like protein were identified. We have discovered a novel SMP, named Am13, and a highly expressed SMP with a Kazal domain, named AmKaSPI. qPCR analysis revealed Am13 and AmKaSPI are highly expressed in the mantle. Am13 negatively regulated calcite formation and positively regulated aragonite formation. High concentrations of Am13 inhibit aragonite size growth and increase aragonite abundance, possibly due to the limited availability of calcium ions in the deep sea. AmKaSPI positively regulates the formation of both calcite and aragonite by enhancing the nucleation and aggregation and inducing morphology changes in CaCO crystals. AmKaSPI promotes the morphological changes in calcite, forming a cross-shaped star structure, which may the key SMP shaped the "chrysanthemum"-like formation of prism layer. AmKaSPI may facilitate shell formation in A. marissinica in special environments. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the composition and characteristics of SMPs in deep-sea clam.
