Reconciling disparate views of template-directed nucleation through measurement of calcite nucleation kinetics and binding energies.

ABSTRACT: The physical basis for how macromolecules regulate the onset of mineral formation in calcifying tissues is not well established. A popular conceptual model assumes the organic matrix provides a stereochemical match during cooperative organization of solute ions. In contrast, another uses simple binding assays to identify good promoters of nucleation. Here, we reconcile these two views and provide a mechanistic explanation for template-directed nucleation by correlating heterogeneous nucleation barriers with crystal-substrate-binding free energies. We first measure the kinetics of calcite nucleation onto model substrates that present different functional group chemistries (carboxyl, thiol, phosphate, and hydroxyl) and conformations (C11 and C16 chain lengths). We find rates are substrate-sp

SUBMITTER: Hamm LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3910584 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature