Intracellular morphogenesis of diatom silica is guided by local variations in membrane curvature.

ABSTRACT: Silica cell-wall formation in diatoms is a showcase for the ability of organisms to control inorganic mineralization. The process of silicification by these unicellular algae is tightly regulated within a membrane-bound organelle, the silica deposition vesicle (SDV). Two opposing scenarios were proposed to explain the tight regulation of this intracellular process: a template-mediated process that relies on preformed scaffolds, or a template-independent self-assembly process. The present work points to a third scenario, where the SDV membrane is a dynamic mold that shapes the forming silica. We use in-cell cryo-electron tomography to visualize the silicification process in situ, in its native-state, and with a nanometer-scale resolution. This reveals that the plasma membrane interacts with

SUBMITTER: Aram L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11385223 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature