Question

Structural control of crystal nuclei by an eggshell protein

Answer 1

Growing a good egg: Metadynamics simulations show that the eggshell protein ovocleidin‐17 induces the formation of calcite crystals from amorphous calcium carbonate nanoparticles. Multiple spontaneous crystallization and amorphization events were simulated; these simulations suggest a catalytic cycle that explains the role of ovocleidin‐17 in the first stages of eggshell formation (the picture shows one intermediate of this cycle).