From Molecules to Morphologies, a Multiscale Modeling Approach to Unravel the Complex System of Coral Calcification

Calcification can be viewed as an emergent behavior resulting from a complex system in which several sub-processes on very different temporal and spatial scales (ranging from nanometer and nanoseconds to meters and years) are connected in a multiscale system. Sub-processes like gene regulation, organic molecules influencing the mineral deposition process, cellular and physiological processes and environment are all linked. Although different calcification mechanisms and pathways have been proposed, there is still no conclusive and comprehensive model of the process. In recent years, many efforts have been made to individually elucidate the regulatory subprocesses. It is important to integrate this knowledge into a multiscale model and analysis that will increase fundamental understanding, guide coral preservation efforts and find potentially important applications in material sciences. Computational models can effectively aid in this integration, by providing structure and serving as a tool for inferring and interpreting interactions and hypotheses. The multiple data that have been collected and the computational models that have been and could be developed will be reviewed, starting with the coral transcriptome, followed by the skeletal proteome, tissue physiology, and skeletal micro- and macromorphology.