POSTECH Profe-ssor Cha Hyung-joon (CE) and Professor Choi Yoo-seong of Chungnam National University’s collaboration research team has clarified the role of pearl oyster protein during pearl layer formation. The collaboration research team obtained the pearl oyster protein Pif80 by genetic recombination. The research team revealed that Pif80 takes an essential role in the formation of a pearl layer. The pearl oyster protein induces crystalline calcium carbonate to grow into planar forms, and consequently, to the pearl. Prof. Cha explained, “I expect the research can contribute to the development of biomedical materials using pearl layers, for instance, synthetic bone and teeth.”