biomineralizer

A biomineralizer is an organism, microbe, enzyme, or engineered system that directly participates in the formation of minerals, usually by initiating, guiding, or accelerating mineral precipitation. Biomineralizers are agents of biomineralization, a biological process by which living organisms produce inorganic minerals, often to build skeletal structures, support physiology, or modify their environment.

In nature, biomineralizers include corals and mollusks forming calcium carbonate skeletons, diatoms producing silica frustules, and magnetotactic bacteria synthesizing magnetic iron minerals. In bones and teeth, osteoblasts and odontoblasts guide hydroxyapatite deposition.

Common mechanisms involve controlled nucleation and growth, ion transport and local chemistry (pH, supersaturation), and organic matrices such as proteins and polysaccharides that template mineral phases. Some biomineralizers operate intracellularly, others secrete mineral precursors that crystallize extracellularly.

Researchers study biomineralizers to develop bioinspired materials, perform microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation for biocementation and sealing of structures, and remediate contaminated environments. Engineered biomineralizers aim to tailor mineral composition and morphology by manipulating genetic pathways or mineralizing proteins.

Terminology varies; biomineralizer emphasizes the agent driving mineral formation, while biomineralization describes the process itself.