Localization of biomineral proteins by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) with functionalized tips

Inorganic/Organic interface in biominerals : unveiling the complex structure of two calcitic biomineral models, the red coral Corallium rubrum and the mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis

Biominerals are organo-minerals structures produced by living systems. Since the Cambrian, they contribute to the adaptation of living organisms to different environments by fulfilling a variety of combined functions that go along with adapted morphologies. One of the aims of biomineralization is to understand how organisms "sculpt" these complex morphologies, in particular at nano and molecular scales. The aim of this PhD work was to understand the complex relationships between the organic and mineral phases. To this end, I focused my analyses on two calcitic biomineral models: 1) the red coral Corallium rubrum and 2) the prismatic shell of the Mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis. My wo…