Mollusks make this special material by placing successive layers of aragonite interspersed with proteins.

软体动放置散布着蛋白质的连续文石层来制造这种特殊材料。

As the slightly more soluble molecule, aragonite can better adapt to more or less acidic environments.

作为稍易溶解的分子，文石可更好地适应或多或少的酸性环境。

So most mollusk shells have an interior layer of aragonite to maintain their internal pH level.

因此，大多数软体动的外壳都有一层文石内层，维持其内部 pH 值。

But one form of aragonite is stronger and more versatile than the rest: nacre.

但有一种文石比其他文石更坚固、用途更广：珍珠质。

Using special proteins, mollusks can produce two crystal structures out of CaCO3: calcite and aragonite.

使用特殊的蛋白质，软体动可 CaCO3 产生两种晶体结构：方解石和文石。

They have also discovered that the shells of many organisms in the area are short of aragonite, a form of calcium carbonate that gives them strength, but whose formation acid discourages.

他们也发现，这里许多生的外壳缺少文石—一种让这些生产生力量的碳酸钙形式—但是，它们体内的酸性形式阻碍了这种质的合成。

These cells wrap the threat in layers of proteins and aragonite until eventually the cocoon completely absorbs the invader— dissolving the threat into an opalescent sphere of nacre.

这些细胞将威胁包裹在蛋白质和文石层，直到茧最终完全吸收入侵者——将威胁溶解到乳白色的珍珠质球体。