How do you build a glass house? Using transcriptomics and gene editing to elucidate silica nanopatterning in diatom cell walls

Biomineralization, the formation of complex inorganic structures by organisms, is a widely distributed process in nature. One of the most spectacular examples of biomineralization is the diatom cell wall, which is a three-dimensional silica structure with intricate, species-specific patterns ranging from nano- to micrometer scale. Using a transcriptomics approach, we have identified a gene family termed silicanins that we propose to be involved in frustule biosynthesis. Silicanins are predicted transmembrane proteins with a yet uncharacterised domain that are restricted to diatoms. In our project, we aim to use gene editing in combination with different biovisualization techniques and biochemical characterization to investigate the roles of silicanins in diatom cell wall biomineralization.