Gorgonin is a complex protein that makes up the horny skeleton of the ''holaxonia'' suborder of
gorgonians. It frequently contains appreciable quantities of
bromine
Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest element in group 17 of the periodic table ( halogens) and is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a simi ...
,
iodine, and
tyrosine
-Tyrosine or tyrosine (symbol Tyr or Y) or 4-hydroxyphenylalanine is one of the 20 standard amino acids that are used by cells to synthesize proteins. It is a non-essential amino acid with a polar side group. The word "tyrosine" is from the G ...
.
Scientific use
Research has shown that measurements of the gorgonin and calcite within species of gorgonia can be useful in
paleoclimatology
Paleoclimatology (American and British English spelling differences, British spelling, palaeoclimatology) is the study of climates for which direct measurements were not taken. As instrumental records only span a tiny part of Earth's history, the ...
and
paleoceanography
Paleoceanography is the study of the history of the oceans in the geologic past with regard to circulation, chemistry, biology, geology and patterns of sedimentation and biological productivity. Paleoceanographic studies using environment models ...
. Studies of the growth, composition, and structure of the skeleton of certain gorgonia species, (e.g., ''Primnoa resedaeformis'', and ''Plexaurella dichotoma'') can be highly correlated with seasonal and climatic variation.
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References
Proteins
{{protein-stub