The Organic-Mineral Interface in Biominerals

Numerous living organisms form minerals. These biogenic minerals, or biominerals, are composite materials containing an organic matrix and nanoor micro-scale amorphous or crystalline minerals. In this chapter we will review the molecular aspects of biomineralization and describe as completely as is currently possible the organic-mineral interface, the location in which organic-mineral interactions occur. Biomineral composite materials include bone, dentine, enamel, statoliths, otoliths, mollusk and crustacean shells, coccolith scales, eggshells, sponge silica skeletons, algal, radiolarian and diatom silica micro-shells, and a variety of transition metal minerals produced by different bacteria (Lowenstam and Weiner 1989; Addadi and Weiner 1997; Banfi eld and Nealson 1997; Fortin et al. 1997; Fitts et al. 1999; Templeton et al. 1999; Lower et al. 2001a; Mann 2001; Glasauer et al. 2002; De Yoreo and Vekilov 2003; Weiner and Dove 2003; De Yoreo and Dove 2004).