Complex morphologies of biogenic crystals emerge from anisotropic growth of symmetry-related facets

Emanuel M. Avrahami, Lothar Houben, Lior Aram, Assaf Gal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Directing crystal growth into complex morphologies is challenging, as crystals tend to adopt thermodynamically stable morphologies. However, many organisms form crystals with intricate morphologies, as exemplified by coccoliths, microscopic calcite crystal arrays produced by unicellular algae. The complex morphologies of the coccolith crystals were hypothesized to materialize from numerous crystallographic facets, stabilized by fine-tuned interactions between organic molecules and the growing crystals. Using electron tomography, we examined multiple stages of coccolith development in three dimensions. We found that the crystals express only one set of symmetry-related crystallographic facets, which grow differentially to yield highly anisotropic shapes. Morphological chirality arises from positioning the crystals along specific edges of these same facets. Our findings suggest that growth rate manipulations are sufficient to yield complex crystalline morphologies.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)312-316
Number of pages5
JournalScience
Volume376
Issue number6590
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Apr 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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