Lake Baikal is the oldest, deepest and most voluminous lake on Earth, comprising one fifth of the World's unfrozen fresh water. It hosts the highest number of endemic animals recorded in any freshwater lake. Until recently it remained enigmatic why such a high diversity evolved in the isolated Lake Baikal. Focusing on the sponges (phylum Porifera) as an example, some answers are provided to fundamental questions on evolutionary forces. The characteristic feature of these animals is that they form their polymeric silicic acid skeleton enzymatically. This process is explored using modern molecular biological and cellular biological techniques to outline strategies to fabricate novel materials applicable in biomedicine and nanooptics.

Geology - Paleontology - Paleoclimate

Overview of Geology and Tectonic Evolution of the Baikal-Tuva Area
Tectonics of the Baikal Rift Deduced from Volcanism and Sedimentation: A Review Oriented to the Baikal and Hovsgol Lake Systems
Paleoclimate and Evolution: Emergence of Sponges During the Neoproterozoic
Organisms: Sponges
Studies on the Taxonomy and Distribution of Freshwater Sponges in Lake Baikal
Towards a Molecular Systematics of the Lake Baikal/Lake Tuva Sponges
Symbiotic Interaction Between Dinoflagellates and the Demosponge Lubomirskia baicalensis: Aquaporin-Mediated Glycerol Transport
Evolution
Silicon in Life: Whither Biological Silicification?
Fossil Sponge Fauna in Lake Baikal Region
Identification and Isolation of a Retrotransposon from the Freshwater Sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis: Implication in Rapid Evolution of Endemic Sponges
Role of Biosilica in Morphogenesis
Modelling the Skeletal Architecture in a Sponge with Radiate Accretive Growth
Biosilica Formation
Silicatein: Nanobiotechnological and Biomedical Applications
Role of Biosilica in Materials Science
Role of Biosilica in Materials Science: Lessons from Siliceous Biological Systems for Structural Composites
An Overview of Silica in Biology: Its Chemistry and Recent Technological Advances
Optical and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Sea Glass Sponge Spicules
Nanobiotechnology: Soft Lithography
The Application of Silicon and Silicates in Dentistry: A Review
Role of Biosilica in Nanobiotechnology
Sustainable Exploitation and Conservation of the Endemic Lake Baikal Sponge (Lubomirskia baicalensis) for Application in Nanobiotechnology.