An external skeleton is an essential part of the body plan of many animals and is thought to
be one of the key factors that enabled the great expansion in animal diversity and disparity …

In nature, mollusk shells have a role in protecting the soft body of the mollusk from predators
and from the external environment, and the shells consist mainly of calcium carbonate and …

The study of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata is key to increasing our understanding of the
molecular mechanisms involved in pearl biosynthesis and biology of bivalve molluscs. We …

Introduction Bivalve molluscs have flourished in marine environments, and many species
constitute important aquatic resources. Recently, whole genome sequences from two …

High-resolution environmental proxy data from the extratropical North Atlantic prior to the
instrumental era are of critical importance to decipher processes and mechanisms of global …

Biomineralization refers to the dynamic physiological processes whereby living organisms
elaborate mineralized tissues. The existence of extremely abundant molluscan species …

The shells of pearl oysters, Pinctada fucata, are composed of calcite and aragonite and
possess remarkable mechanical properties. These shells are formed under the regulation of …

Molluscs fabricate shells of incredible diversity and complexity by localized secretions from
the dorsal epithelium of the mantle. Although distantly related molluscs express remarkably …

Throughout the course of evolution, organisms have produced biominerals with hierarchical
structures derived from organic templates. Over the last couple of decades, scientists have …

Pearl oyster Pinctada martensii is cultured for production of pearl in China. It needs to
implant a mantle graft cut from a donor oyster and a seed nucleus into the gonad of the host …