Fine Structure and Amino Acid Composition of the Organic "Envelope" in the Prismatic Layer of Some Bivalve Shells

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  • 二枚貝貝殻の稜柱層中のエンベロープの微細構造とアミノ酸組成
  • 二枚貝貝殻の稜住層中のエンベロープの微細構造とアミノ酸組成〔英文〕
  • 2マイガイ カイガラ ノ リョウジュウソウチュウ ノ エンベロープ ノ ビサイ

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The fine structure and amino acid composition of the organic envelopes of five species from the three families Pteridae, Isognomonidae and Pinnidae, were studied. Present observations show that the prismatic layer contains two chief organic components ; the interprismatic wall separating the prisms and the intraprismatic portions located within the prism itself. Each crystallite that makes up the calcified prism in the prismatic layer is surrounded by a thin single layered organic envelope. During the HCl decalcification of the prismatic layer, the intraprismatic organic substance constituting mainly the envelopes was dissociated and set free due to the pressure of CO_2 bubbles. Eventually the envelopes became suspended in the decalcifying solution. Amino acid analysis of the isolated envelopes shows an unusually high concentration of aspartic acid (the highest residue concentration measured was that of Pinna carnea, this amounted to 79.7% while the lowest, 23.3%, was observed in Pinctada radiata). As previously suggested for other shell structure, the aspartic acid-rich "envelope" in the prismatic layer may be essential in the initiation and acceleration of the crystal growth of calcium carbonate.

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