Strong stabilization of liquid amorphous calcium carbonate by ovalbumin: gaining insight into the mechanism of ‘polymer-induced liquid precursor’ processes

摘要

The impact of the ovo-proteins ovalbumin and lysozyme—present in the first stage of egg shell formation—on the homogeneous formation of the liquid-amorphous calcium carbonate (LACC) precursor, was studied by a combination of complementing methods: in situ WAXS, SANS, XANES, TEM, and immunogold labeling. Lysozyme (pI = 9.3) destabilizes the LACC emulsion whereas the glycoprotein ovalbumin (pI = 4.7) extends the lifespan of the emulsified state remarkably. In the light of the presented data: >(a) Ovalbumin is shown to behave commensurable to the ‘polymer-induced liquid precursor’ (PILP) process proposed by Gower et al. Ovalbumin can be assumed to take a key role during eggshell formation where it serves as an effective stabilization agent for transient precursors and prevents undirected mineralization of the eggshell. >(b) It is further shown that the emulsified LACC carries a negative surface charge and is electrostatically stabilized. >(c) We propose that the liquid amorphous calcium carbonate is affected by polymers by depletion stabilization and de-emulsification rather than ‘induced’ by acidic proteins and polymers during a polymer-induced liquid-precursor process. The original PILP coating effect, first reported by Gower et al., appears to be a result of a de-emulsification process of a stabilized LACC phase. The behavior of the liquid amorphous carbonate phase and the polymer-induced liquid-precursor phase itself can be well described by colloid chemical terms: electrostatic and depletion stabilization and de-emulsification by depletion destabilization.