Macromolecular sheets direct the morphology and orientation of plate-like biogenic guanine crystals.

ABSTRACT: Animals precisely control the morphology and assembly of guanine crystals to produce diverse optical phenomena in coloration and vision. However, little is known about how organisms regulate crystallization to produce optically useful morphologies which express highly reflective crystal faces. Guanine crystals form inside iridosome vesicles within chromatophore cells called iridophores. By following iridosome formation in developing scallop eyes, we show that pre-assembled, fibrillar sheets provide an interface for nucleation and direct the orientation of the guanine crystals. The macromolecular sheets cap the (100) faces of immature guanine crystals, inhibiting growth along the π-stacking growth direction. Crystal growth then occurs preferentially along the sheets to generate highly refle

SUBMITTER: Wagner A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9898273 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature