The mechanism of Magnetite Biomineralization in Honeybees (Apis melliera)

• Main Authors: Yu Pei Chan, 詹鈺珮
• Other Authors: C. Y. Hsu
• Format: Others
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/55884766097563507179

碩士 === 長庚大學 === 生物醫學研究所 === 97 === Honeybees can intracellularly deposit iron minerals into magnetite. However, the mechanism of iron biomineralization is unclear. In this study, the proteins in/on iron granules (IGs) and iron deposition vesicles (IDVs) were purified, incubated into antibodies, labeled the location in/on IGs and IDVs by biochemical and microscopic techniques. The results showed that the major proteins in/on IGs and IDVs were actin, myosin, ferritin 2, and ATP synthase. They had been demonstrated to exist in/on IGs and IDVs by using confocal microscopic and transmission electron microscopic assays. In addition, actin was associated with ferritin 2 by immunoprecipitation analysis. Collectively, ferritin 2 possibly participated the formation of 7.5 nm particles, actin and myosin served as the transporter of 7.5 nm particle for iron deposition, and ATP synthase supplied energy for transportation.