Unexpected link between polyketide synthase and calcium carbonate biomineralization

INTRODUCTION: Calcium carbonate biominerals participate in diverse physiological functions. Despite intensive studies, little is known about how mineralization is initiated in organisms. RESULTS: We analyzed the medaka spontaneous mutant, ha, defective in otolith (calcareous ear stone) formation. ha lacks a trigger for otolith mineralization, and the causative gene was found to encode polyketide synthase (pks), a multifunctional enzyme mainly found in bacteria, fungi, and plant. Subsequent experiments demonstrate that the products of medaka PKS, most likely polyketides or their derivatives, act as nucleation facilitators in otolith mineralization. The generality of this novel PKS function is supported by the essential role of echinoderm PKS in calcareous skeleton formation together with the presence of PKSs in a much wider range of animals from coral to vertebrates. CONCLUSION: The present study first links PKS to biomineralization and provides a genetic cue for biogeochemistry of carbon and calcium cycles. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40851-014-0001-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.