Induced Biomineralisation

Question 1

what is biologically induced biomineralisation

Answer 1

minerals formed as a by-product of metabolic reactions or for other activity as a result of interactions between the cells and their environment.
releases metabolic wastes ions that can concentrate ions and raise the SI.
enzymatically mediated changes in redox state.
nucleation on cell surfaces
occurs externally
aka passive biomineralisation

Question 2

what are the 2 main mechanisms of induced biomineralisation

Answer 2

1. Cell surface reactivity: ionised surface functional groups (ligands) have low interfacial energies for nucleation (nucleate more easily).
   Lowers the activation energy barrier, speeding up precipitation - kinetic effect ( as opposed to thermodynamic)
2. Metabolism: affecting saturation states and pH. Some organisms produce biominerals as a by-product of metabolic reactions changing the environment to favour mineral precipitation