Identification and first insights into the structure and biosynthesis of chitin from the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris

Ehrlich H, Kaluzhnaya OV, Brunner E, Tsurkan MV, Ereskovsky A, Ilan M, Tabachnick KR, Bazhenov VV, Paasch S, Kammer M, Born R, Stelling A, Galli R, Belikov S, Petrova OV, Sivkov VV, Vyalikh D, Hunoldt S, Woerheide G (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Journal of Structural Biology Elsevier

Book Volume: 183

Pages Range: 474-483

Journal Issue: 3

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2013.06.015

Abstract

This work demonstrates that chitin is an important structural component within the skeletal fibers of the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris. Using a variety of analytical techniques (13C solid state NMR, FT-IR, Raman, NEXAFS, ESI-MS, Morgan-Elson assay and Calcofluor White Staining); we show that this sponge chitin is much closer to α-chitin, known to be present in other animals, than to β-chitin. Genetic analysis confirmed the presence of chitin synthases, which are described for the first time in a sponge. The presence of chitin in both marine (demosponges and hexactinellids) and freshwater sponges indicates that this important structural biopolymer was already present in their common ancestor. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Involved external institutions

Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg DE Germany (DE) Limnological Institute Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences RU Russian Federation (RU) Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V. DE Germany (DE) Aix-Marseille University / Aix-Marseille Université FR France (FR) Tel Aviv University IL Israel (IL) Russian Academy of Sciences / Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (RAS) RU Russian Federation (RU) Technische Universität Dresden DE Germany (DE) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Ehrlich, H., Kaluzhnaya, O.V., Brunner, E., Tsurkan, M.V., Ereskovsky, A., Ilan, M.,... Woerheide, G. (2013). Identification and first insights into the structure and biosynthesis of chitin from the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris. Journal of Structural Biology, 183(3), 474-483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsb.2013.06.015

MLA:

Ehrlich, Hermann, et al. "Identification and first insights into the structure and biosynthesis of chitin from the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris." Journal of Structural Biology 183.3 (2013): 474-483.

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