Journal
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Volume 7, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11228
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Funding
- European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) under BioStruct-X [N283570]
- Max-Planck Society
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) [Sche1637/3-1, Sche1637/4-1, FA835/9-1]
- Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship
- European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) under the WallTraC project [263916]
- European Research Council [MB2 N256915]
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Coccoliths are calcitic particles produced inside the cells of unicellular marine algae known as coccolithophores. They are abundant components of sea-floor carbonates, and the stoichiometry of calcium to other elements in fossil coccoliths is widely used to infer past environmental conditions. Here we study cryo-preserved cells of the dominant coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi using state-of-the-art nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy. We identify a compartment, distinct from the coccolith-producing compartment, filled with high concentrations of a disordered form of calcium. Co-localized with calcium are high concentrations of phosphorus and minor concentrations of other cations. The amounts of calcium stored in this reservoir seem to be dynamic and at a certain stage the compartment is in direct contact with the coccolith-producing vesicle, suggesting an active role in coccolith formation. Our findings provide insights into calcium accumulation in this important calcifying organism.
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