Characterization of organophosphatic brachiopod shells: spectroscopic assessment of collagen matrix and biomineral components.

ABSTRACT: The shells of linguloid brachiopods such as Lingula and Discinisca are inorganic-organic nanocomposites with a mineral phase of calcium phosphate (Ca-phosphate). Collagen, the main extracellular matrix in Ca-phosphatic vertebrate skeletons, has not previously been clearly resolved at the molecular level in organophosphatic brachiopods. Here, modern and recently-alive linguliform brachiopod shells of Lingula and Discinisca have been studied by microRaman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission gun scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. For the first time, biomineralized collagen matrix and Ca-phosphate components were simultaneously identified, showing that the collagen matrix is an important moiety in organo

SUBMITTER: Agbaje OBA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9057340 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature