Unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying intracellular crystal formation

Introduction

From vision in teleost fish to the spectacular colors reflected from reptiles and crustaceans, intracellular molecular crystals play vital roles in the function of cells and the ecology of organisms. These crystals are formed in specialized cellular vesicles termed iridosomes, where their properties are controlled in ways that cannot be matched by modern technology.

Importance of Crystal Formation

Failure to control crystal formation can be deleterious to organisms, obstructing fundamental abilities, such as:

• Vision
• Body temperature regulation
• Camouflage
• Kin recognition

Additionally, it can lead to underlying pathologies such as gout and kidney stones in humans. Exploring the fascinating ability of iridosomes to perform such elaborate chemical and biological processes has thus far been limited by the technical inability to study this complex organelle.

Research Objectives

To obtain a mechanistic understanding of the processes and principles underlying the controlled formation of intracellular crystals, we will harness our unique interdisciplinary set of skills, merging chemistry and cell biology, as well as new approaches combining state-of-the-art imaging and spectroscopy we recently developed.

We will use this synergetic experimental platform to identify:

1. The molecular players and ultrastructural events (Aim 1)
2. The intracellular mechanisms (Aim 2) underlying intracellular crystal formation in the zebrafish
3. Generalize the discoveries to other crystal-forming organisms (Aim 3)

Expected Outcomes

Our project will provide a holistic view of the iridosome mechanism of action, the strategies organisms use to form and control bio-molecular crystals, and the biological processes, intracellular organelles, proteins, and regulatory mechanisms involved.

The obtained mechanistic insight into these processes will advance the understanding of the effect of ocean acidification on crystal formation in marine organisms, and pave the way for developing new biomaterials and much-needed therapeutics for pathological crystallization.