The importance of evo-devo to an integrated understanding of molluscan biomineralisation

Biomineralogy is an inherently interdisciplinary pursuit. This largely stems from the fact that techniques used to investigate a given (bio)mineral should ideally be married with techniques that provide insight into the biological mechanisms that form that mineral (and vice versa). We observe two broad challenges that inhibit a fluent exchange of ideas and information between mineralogists/materials scientists and biologists. First, the smorgasbord of emerging and rapidly evolving techniques available to mineralogists and biologists alike make it difficult not only for an expert to remain contemporary, but can be bewildering to the non-expert. Second, to truly integrate and relate a specific biological insight into the genesis of a biomineral, with the effect that insight has on the properties of the mineral itself, is not trivial. We propose that an evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) approach can not only address this challenge, it can also provide deep insight into how the rich diversity of metazoan mineralised structures evolved. While an evo-devo approach to biomineralogy has previously been employed by some groups, recent exciting methodological developments available to the molecular biologist now make this strategy even more attractive. In this short review we aim to outline our perception of the role that evo-devo can play within the field of biomineralogy, taking as a case study the past achievements, recent insights and some future research directions associated with gastropod shell formation.