Loricate choanoflagellates (unicellular, eukaryotic flagellates; phylum Choanozoa) synthesize a basket-like siliceous lorica reinforced by costal strips (diameter of approximately 100 nm and length of 3 μm). In the present study, the composition of these siliceous costal strips is described, using Stephanoeca diplocostata as a model. Analyses by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), coupl...

Biosilicification is widespread across the eukaryotes and requires concentration of silicon in intracellular vesicles. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remains limited, with unrelated silicon-transporting proteins found in the eukaryotic clades previously studied. Here, we report the identification of silicon transporter (SIT)-type genes from the siliceous loricate ...

The implementation of the Restriction Hazardous Substances (RoHS) European Union (EU) Directive in 2005 resulted introduction pure tin as an acceptable surface finish for printed circuit boards and component terminations. A drawback finishes is potential to form whiskers. Tin whiskers are a metallurgical phenomenon that associated with rich/pure materials has been topic intense industry interes...

[1] Magnetite dissolution, and consequent loss of magnetization, is widely observed in reducing sedimentary environments, where the decrease in Eh-pH values with depth is driven by bacterially mediated degradation of organic carbon. We have observed low magnetizations in sediments with elevated pore water silica concentrations that arise from diagenesis of biogenic silica and/or silicic volcani...