IRON BIOMINERALIZATION IN THE PORIFERAN IRCINIA-OROS

Iron-containing precipitates, present within the organic matrix of the poriferan Ircinia oros were identified as crystalline lepidocrocite ( gamma-FeOOH) by electron diffraction and Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy. The crystals were located specifically within the spongin filaments, suggesting that the binding and subsequent accumulation of iron by mac romolecules present in these filaments were responsible for mineraliza tion. Iron biomineralization did not appear to serve any specific stru ctural role, but may be involved in biological processes such as detox ification.