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A multi-disciplined approach to characterize the functional role of the biomineralization protein amelogenin in enamel formation


EMSL Project ID
51726

Abstract

Biomineralization is the process used by living organism to produce minerals with properties not always found in their equivalent inorganically produced counterparts. In vertebrates, mineralized tissues such as bone, cementum, dentin and enamel all consist of calcium phosphate, but have specialized functions as a result of the conditions during formation. Biomineralization proteins are an essential contributor to the resulting materials properties, as they orchestrate the nucleation, growth, and organization of biominerals. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms responsible for this orchestration is important because this knowledge will guide the design of advanced materials in general and new repair or regeneration strategies for biominerals.

Project Details

Start Date
2020-10-05
End Date
2021-09-30
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Garry Buchko
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Team Members

Jinhui Tao
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Sandra Taylor
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Arun Devaraj
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Wendy Shaw
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Barbara Tarasevich
Institution
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Related Publications

Shaw W.J., B.J. Tarasevich, G.W. Buchko, R.M. Jayasinha Arachchige, and S.D. Burton. 2020. "Controls of Nature: Secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of the enamel protein amelogenin in solution and on hydroxyapatite." Journal of Structural Biology 212, no. 3:Article No. 107630. PNNL-SA-153314. doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2020.107630