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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 37: Biomaterials

BP 37.1: Hauptvortrag

Freitag, 26. März 2010, 10:00–10:30, H43

Pearls and Feathers: New Concepts and Inspiration for Plant's Design — •Ingrid Weiss, Eduard Arzt, and Helmut Kirchner — INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials gGmbH, Campus D2 2, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany

Pearls and nacre are at the forefront of understanding the earliest genetic routes towards high-performance composite materials. Also the display function of birdfeathers for sexual attraction implies very specific needs of evolutionary relevance. Our work demonstrates that various functions are achieved by the composite structure of biological materials, which is better than the sum of its parts. While pearls consist of micro- and nano-patterned aragonite with low organic content, the cortex material of feathers, beta-keratin, is homogeneous over about 80% of the length of the rachis. Our ongoing research on chitin in pearls [1,2], and on keratin in feathers [3] aims at understanding what exactly happens in feather follicles under load, and in pearl forming tissue during the process of biomineralization thus creating a basic link between gravity, materials properties, and life. This would as well be relevant for understanding complex structured materials such as plants.

References [1] I.M. Weiss, Jewels in the pearl, ChemBioChem, in press (2010) [2] I.M. Weiss et al., The chitin synthase involved in marine bivalve mollusk shell formation contains a myosin domain, FEBS Lett. 580, 1846-1852 (2006) [3] I.M. Weiss & H.O.K. Kirchner, The peacock's train (Pavo cristatus and Pavo cristatus mut. alba) I. Structure, mechanics, and chemistry of the tail feather coverts, J. Exp. Zool. A, submitted, (2009)