Flagella and Swimming Behavior of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Flagella and Swimming Behavior of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria biomolecules Review Flagella and Swimming Behavior of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria Wei-Jia Zhang 1,2 and Long-Fei Wu 2,3,* 1 Laboratory of Deep-Sea Microbial Cell Biology, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; [email protected] 2 International Associated Laboratory of Evolution and Development of Magnetotactic Multicellular Organisms, F-13402 CNRS-Marseille, France/CAS-Sanya 572000, China 3 Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LCB, IMM, IM2B, CENTURI, F-13402 Marseille, France * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +33-4-9116-4157 Received: 25 February 2020; Accepted: 15 March 2020; Published: 16 March 2020 Abstract: Marine environments are generally characterized by low bulk concentrations of nutrients that are susceptible to steady or intermittent motion driven by currents and local turbulence. Marine bacteria have therefore developed strategies, such as very fast-swimming and the exploitation of multiple directional sensing–response systems in order to efficiently migrate towards favorable places in nutrient gradients. The magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) even utilize Earth’s magnetic field to facilitate downward swimming into the oxic–anoxic interface, which is the most favorable place for their persistence and proliferation, in chemically stratified sediments or water columns. To ensure the desired flagella-propelled motility, marine MTBs have evolved an exquisite flagellar apparatus, and an extremely high number (tens of thousands) of flagella can be found on a single entity, displaying a complex polar, axial, bounce, and photosensitive magnetotactic behavior. In this review, we describe gene clusters, the flagellar apparatus architecture, and the swimming behavior of marine unicellular and multicellular magnetotactic bacteria. The physiological significance and mechanisms that govern these motions are discussed. Keywords: flagellar number and position; north-seeking and south-seeking; magnetic and photo-response 1. Introduction Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a group of phylogenetically, morphologically, and physiologically diverse Gram-negative bacteria [1,2]. They share the common capability of synthesizing unique intracellular organelles, the magnetosomes, i.e., single-domain magnetic crystals of magnetite or greigite, which are enveloped by membranes (Figure1). Cytoskeleton MamK filaments enable the magnetosomes to be organized into chains [3–5]. Magnetosome chains impart a net magnetic dipole moment to the cell, which allows cells to align and swim along geomagnetic field lines [6]. This behavior, referred to as magnetotaxis, is believed to facilitate microaerophilic or anaerobic MTB to locate at the preferable oxic–anoxic interface in chemically stratified sediments or water columns [1]. Biomolecules 2020, 10, 460; doi:10.3390/biom10030460 www.mdpi.com/journal/biomolecules Biomolecules 2020, 10, 460 2 of 14 Biomolecules 2020, 9, x 2 of 14 Figure 1. Magnetosomes and flagellaflagella of magnetotactic bacteria.bacteria. ((AA)) BilophotrichouslyBilophotrichously flagellated flagellated MO-1 MO- cells1 cells possess possess two two sheathed sheathed flagellar flagellar bundles bundles (green (green arrow) arrow) and one and magnetosome one magnetosome chain (yellowchain (yellow arrow). (arrow).B) Peritrichously (B) Peritrichously flagellated flagellated ellipsoidal magnetoglobuleellipsoidal magnetoglobule with flagella with (blue flagella arrows) and(blue magnetosomes arrows) and (yellowmagnetosomes arrows). (yellow Only the arrows). portion Only of flagellar the portion filaments of flagellar in the surfacefilaments matrix in the was surface preserved matrix during was samplepreserved preparation. during sample Scale bar preparation. is equal to 0.5Scaleµm. bar Courtesy is equal of the toelectron 0.5 µm. cryotomography Courtesy of the micrograph electron (cryotomographyA) from Dr. J. Ruan micrograph and Professor (A) from K. Namba,Dr. J. Ruan and and of the Professor Scan-TEM K. Namba, high-angle and annular of the Scan-TEM dark-field (STEM-HAADF)high-angle annular mode dark-field micrograph (STEM-HAADF) (B) of ultrathin mode sections micrograph of high-pressure (B) of freezingultrathin/freeze sections substitution of high- fixationpressure (HPF freezing/freeze/FS) fixed ellipsoidal substitution magnetoglobule fixation (HPF/FS) from Professor fixed ellipsoidal N. Menguy magnetoglobule and Dr. A. Kosta. from Professor N. Menguy and Dr. A. Kosta. Phylogenetically, magnetotactic bacteria are members of several classes of the Proteobacteria phylumPhylogenetically, including the Alpha-,magnetotactic Gamma-, bacteria Delta-, are Zeta-, membCandidatusers of severalLambda-, classesCandidatus of the Eta-classes,Proteobacteria the Nitrospiraephylum including phylum, the the Alpha-,Candidatus Gamma-,Omnitrophica Delta-, Zeta-, phylum, Candidatus the Candidatus Lambda-,Latescibacteria Candidatus Eta-classes, phylum, andthe Nitrospirae the Planctomycetes phylum, phylum the Candidatus [7]. They Omnitrophica present various phylum, morphotypes the Candidatus including Latescibacteria cocci, spirilla, rod-shaped,phylum, and vibrio, the Planctomycetes and more complex phylum multicellular [7]. They present magnetotactic various prokaryotes morphotypes that including are also calledcocci, magnetoglobulesspirilla, rod-shaped, (MMP) vibrio, [1, 8and]. more complex multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes that are also calledMagnetotactic magnetoglobules bacteria (MMP) are found[1,8]. worldwide in aquatic environments from freshwater to marine ecosystems.Magnetotactic Here, we bacteria will discuss are found mainly worldwide three types in aq ofuatic marine environments magnetotactic from bacteria freshwater because to ofmarine their complexecosystems. flagellar Here, architecture we will discuss and peculiar mainly motilethree ty behavior.pes of marine The first magnetotactic is the spirillum bacteriaMagnetospira because sp.of straintheir QH-2complex isolated flagellar from thearchitecture intertidal sedimentsand peculiar of the motile China Seabehavior. [9]. Phylogenetically, The first is the QH-2 spirillum belongs toMagnetospira Rhodospirillaceae sp. strain and isQH-2 closely isolated related from to two the freshwater intertidal magnetotactic sediments spirilla,of the MagnetospirillumChina Sea [9]. magneticumPhylogenetically,AMB-1 QH-2 and Magnetospirillum belongs to Rhodospirillac gryphiswaldenseeaeMSR-1. and is Yet, closely certain related traits suchto two as the freshwater synthesis + + ofmagnetotactic osmoprotectant, spirilla, Na Magnetospirillum-dependent NADH-quinone magneticum oxidoreductase,AMB-1 and Magnetospirillum and Na -motive gryphiswaldense force driven flagellarMSR-1. Yet, motors, certain make traits QH-2 such betteras the suitedsynthesis to aof marine osmoprotectant, sedimentary Na+ lifestyle-dependent than NADH-quinone its freshwater counterpartsoxidoreductase, [10 ].and The Na second+-motive is theforce ovoid-coccoid driven flagellarMagnetococcus motors, make massalia QH-2strain better MO-1 suited isolated to a marine from sedimentssedimentary of thelifestyle Mediterranean than its freshwater Sea (Figure 1counteA) [ 11rparts]. MO-1 [10]. belongs The tosecond the newly is the established ovoid-coccoid class CandidatusMagnetococcusEtatproteobacteria massalia strain MO-1 and possesses isolated from the mostsediments exquisite of the flagellar Mediterranean apparatus Sea [12 (Figure]. The third1, A) group[11]. MO-1 is the belongs magnetoglobules to the newly that established have developed class Candidatus both multicellular Etatproteobacteria and magnetotactic and possesses properties the duringmost exquisite their evolution. flagellar apparatus To date, magnetotactic [12]. The third multicellular group is the prokaryotesmagnetoglobules are found that have only developed in marine environmentsboth multicellular [8]. They and exhibit magnetotactic peculiar patternsproperties of motility during by their coordinatively evolution. rotating To date, tens magnetotactic of thousands ofmulticellular peritrichous prokaryotes flagella (Figure are 1foundB), including only in bothmarine polar environments and axis magneto-aerotaxis, [8]. They exhibit ping-pong peculiar patterns motion, andof motility photophobic by coordinatively and photokinesis rotating swimming tens of patterns. thousands of peritrichous flagella (Figure 1, B), including both polar and axis magneto-aerotaxis, ping-pong motion, and photophobic and 2. Flagellar Apparatus of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria photokinesis swimming patterns. Flagella provide one of the most highly efficient means of bacterial locomotion and play a pivotal role2. Flagellar in adhesion, Apparatus biofilm of formation, Marine Magnetotactic and host invasion Bacteria [13–16 ]. Bacterial flagella share a basic tripartite structure;Flagella the provide basal body, one theof the hook, most and highly the filamentefficient [means17]. The of bacterial basal body locomotion contains aand reversible play a pivotal rotary motorrole in madeadhesion, of a rotor,biofilm a driveformation, shaft, and a bushing, host invasion and about [13–16]. a dozen Bacterial stators. flagella The stator share forms a basic the tripartite proton orstructure; sodium the ion basal pathway body, and the converts hook, and ion the flow filament across [17]. the cytoplasmicThe basal body membrane contains into a reversible the mechanical rotary workmotor required made of fora rotor, flagellar a drive motor shaft, rotation. a bushing, The and basal about body a dozen also contains stators. theThe flagellarstator
Recommended publications
  • Magnetotactic Bacteria and Their Application in Medicine
    Chem cal ist si ry y & h P B f i o o Dasdag and Bektas. J Phys Chem Biophys 2014, 4:2 p l h a Journal of Physical Chemistry & y n s r DOI: 10.4172/2161-0398.1000141 i u c o s J ISSN: 2161-0398 Biophysics ResearchReview Article Article OpenOpen Access Access Magnetotactic Bacteria and their Application in Medicine Suleyman Dasdag1* and Hava Bektas2 1Department of Biophysics, Medical School of Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey 2Department of Biophysics, Medical School of Yuzuncu Yil University, Van / Turkey Abstract It is a known fact how the magnetic field of the Earth is very important for life. Relation between living systems and the earth magnetic field has been investigated for many years. Birds and their migration routes are the first one of the things that comes to mind when we state living things. The Earth’s magnetic field is still accepted to be the main factor for birds and other flying living beings to complete their travels correctly. The changes in migration routes, which are observed from time to time, are sometimes said to be due to the changes in the magnetic field. However, no light has been shed to this matter yet. The Earth’s magnetic field has not been sufficiently studied, and its role on small living models such as bacteria has not been adequately discussed. One of the best examples in this field is relation between the Earth’s magnetic field and “magnetotactic bacteria (MTB)”, which were discovered by Salvatore Bellini in 1963. Currently, it is claimed that magnetotactic bacteria have a widespread use in microbiology, mineralogy, limnology, physics, biophysics, chemistry, biochemistry, geology, crystallography, and astrobiology.
    [Show full text]
  • Life with Compass: Diversity and Biogeography of Magnetotactic Bacteria
    bs_bs_banner Environmental Microbiology (2014) 16(9), 2646–2658 doi:10.1111/1462-2920.12313 Minireview Life with compass: diversity and biogeography of magnetotactic bacteria Wei Lin,1,2 Dennis A. Bazylinski,3 Tian Xiao,2,4 the present-day biogeography of MTB, and the ruling Long-Fei Wu2,5 and Yongxin Pan1,2* parameters of their spatial distribution, will eventu- 1Biogeomagnetism Group, Paleomagnetism and ally help us predict MTB community shifts with envi- Geochronology Laboratory, Key Laboratory of the ronmental changes and assess their roles in global Earth’s Deep Interior, Institute of Geology and iron cycling. Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China. 2France-China Bio-Mineralization and Nano-Structures Introduction Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Iron is the fourth most common element in the Earth’s 100029, China. crust and a crucial nutrient for almost all known organ- 3 School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada at Las isms. The cycling of iron is one of the key processes in the Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA. Earth’s biogeochemical cycles. A number of organisms 4 Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology & Environmental synthesize iron minerals and play essential roles in global Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of iron cycling (Westbroek and de Jong, 1983; Winklhofer, Sciences, Qingdao, China. 2010). One of the most interesting examples of these 5 Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, Aix-Marseille types of organisms are the magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), Université, CNRS, Marseille Cedex, France. a polyphyletic group of prokaryotes that are ubiquitous in aquatic and sedimentary environments (Bazylinski Summary and Frankel, 2004; Bazylinski et al., 2013).
    [Show full text]
  • Pinpointing the Origin of Mitochondria Zhang Wang Hanchuan, Hubei
    Pinpointing the origin of mitochondria Zhang Wang Hanchuan, Hubei, China B.S., Wuhan University, 2009 A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Virginia in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Biology University of Virginia August, 2014 ii Abstract The explosive growth of genomic data presents both opportunities and challenges for the study of evolutionary biology, ecology and diversity. Genome-scale phylogenetic analysis (known as phylogenomics) has demonstrated its power in resolving the evolutionary tree of life and deciphering various fascinating questions regarding the origin and evolution of earth’s contemporary organisms. One of the most fundamental events in the earth’s history of life regards the origin of mitochondria. Overwhelming evidence supports the endosymbiotic theory that mitochondria originated once from a free-living α-proteobacterium that was engulfed by its host probably 2 billion years ago. However, its exact position in the tree of life remains highly debated. In particular, systematic errors including sparse taxonomic sampling, high evolutionary rate and sequence composition bias have long plagued the mitochondrial phylogenetics. This dissertation employs an integrated phylogenomic approach toward pinpointing the origin of mitochondria. By strategically sequencing 18 phylogenetically novel α-proteobacterial genomes, using a set of “well-behaved” phylogenetic markers with lower evolutionary rates and less composition bias, and applying more realistic phylogenetic models that better account for the systematic errors, the presented phylogenomic study for the first time placed the mitochondria unequivocally within the Rickettsiales order of α- proteobacteria, as a sister clade to the Rickettsiaceae and Anaplasmataceae families, all subtended by the Holosporaceae family.
    [Show full text]
  • Résurrection Du Passé À L'aide De Modèles Hétérogènes D'évolution Des Séquences Protéiques
    Résurrection du passé à l’aide de modèles hétérogènes d’évolution des séquences protéiques Mathieu Groussin To cite this version: Mathieu Groussin. Résurrection du passé à l’aide de modèles hétérogènes d’évolution des séquences protéiques. Biologie moléculaire. Université Claude Bernard - Lyon I, 2013. Français. NNT : 2013LYO10201. tel-01160535 HAL Id: tel-01160535 https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01160535 Submitted on 5 Jun 2015 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. No 201-2013 Année 2013 These` de l’universitedelyon´ Présentée devant L’UNIVERSITÉ CLAUDE BERNARD LYON 1 pour l’obtention du Diplomeˆ de doctorat (arrêté du 7 août 2006) soutenue publiquement le 8 novembre 2013 par Mathieu Groussin Résurrection du passé à l’aide de modèles hétérogènes d’évolution des séquences protéiques. Directeur de thèse : Manolo Gouy Jury : Céline Brochier-Armanet Examinateur - Président Laurent Duret Examinateur Nicolas Galtier Rapporteur Olivier Gascuel Rapporteur Manolo Gouy Directeur de thèse Dominique Madern Examinateur Hervé Philippe Examinateur 2 UNIVERSITE CLAUDE BERNARD - LYON 1 Président de l’Université M. François-Noël GILLY Vice-président du Conseil d’Administration M. le Professeur Hamda BEN HADID Vice-président du Conseil des Etudes et de la Vie Universitaire M.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigation of the Magnetosome Biomineralization in Magnetotactic Bacteria Using Graphene Liquid Cell – Transmission Electron Microscopy
    Nanoscale Investigation of the Magnetosome Biomineralization in Magnetotactic Bacteria using Graphene Liquid Cell – Transmission Electron Microscopy Journal: Nanoscale Manuscript ID NR-ART-10-2018-008647.R1 Article Type: Paper Date Submitted by the 27-Nov-2018 Author: Complete List of Authors: Firlar, Emre; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Ouy, Meagan; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering Bogdanowicz, Agata; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering Covnot, Leigha; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering Song, Boao; University of Illinois at Chicago, Mechanical Engineering Department Nadkarni, Yash; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza; University of Illinois at Chicago, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; University of Illinois at Chicago Shokuhfar, Tolou; University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering; Michigan Technological University, Department of Mechanical Engineering Page 1 of 8 Please doNanoscale not adjust margins Journal Name ARTICLE Investigation of the Magnetosome Biomineralization in Magnetotactic Bacteria using Graphene Liquid Cell – Transmission Electron Microscopy Received 00th January 20xx, Accepted 00th January 20xx Emre Firlara,b*, Meagan Ouya, Agata Bogdanowicza, Leigha Covnota, Boao Songb, Yash Nadkarnia, DOI: 10.1039/x0xx00000x Reza Shahbazian-Yassarb*,
    [Show full text]
  • A Reverse TCA Cycle 2-Oxoacid:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase That Makes C-C Bonds from CO2
    A Reverse TCA Cycle 2-Oxoacid:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase that Makes C-C Bonds from CO2 The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Citation Chen, Percival Yang-Ting et al. “A Reverse TCA Cycle 2- Oxoacid:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase that Makes C-C Bonds from CO2.” Joule 3 (2018): 595-611 © 2018 The Author(s) As Published 10.1016/J.JOULE.2018.12.006 Publisher Elsevier BV Version Author's final manuscript Citable link https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/125243 Terms of Use Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License Detailed Terms http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ HHS Public Access Author manuscript Author ManuscriptAuthor Manuscript Author Joule. Author Manuscript Author manuscript; Manuscript Author available in PMC 2020 February 20. Published in final edited form as: Joule. 2019 February 20; 3(2): 595–611. doi:10.1016/j.joule.2018.12.006. A reverse TCA cycle 2-oxoacid:ferredoxin oxidoreductase that makes C-C bonds from CO2 Percival Yang-Ting Chen1,†, Bin Li2,†, Catherine L. Drennan1,3,4,5,*, and Sean J. Elliott2,6,* 1Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 2Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 3Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 4Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 5Bio-inspired Solar Energy Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada 6Lead contact. Summary 2-oxoglutarate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (OGOR) is a thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) and [4Fe-4S] cluster-dependent enzyme from the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle that fixes CO2 to succinyl-CoA, forming 2-oxoglutarate and CoA.
    [Show full text]
  • Magnetosensitive Neurons Mediate Geomagnetic Orientation in Caenorhabditis Elegans
    RESEARCH ARTICLE elifesciences.org Magnetosensitive neurons mediate geomagnetic orientation in Caenorhabditis elegans Andres´ Vidal-Gadea1†, Kristi Ward1, Celia Beron1, Navid Ghorashian2, Sertan Gokce3, Joshua Russell1, Nicholas Truong1, Adhishri Parikh1, Otilia Gadea1, Adela Ben-Yakar2, Jonathan Pierce-Shimomura1* 1Department of Neuroscience; Center for Brain, Behavior and Evolution; Center for Learning and Memory; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research; Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States; 2Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States; 3Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States Abstract Many organisms spanning from bacteria to mammals orient to the earth’s magnetic field. For a few animals, central neurons responsive to earth-strength magnetic fields have been identified; however, magnetosensory neurons have yet to be identified in any animal. We show that the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans orients to the earth’s magnetic field during vertical burrowing migrations. Well-fed worms migrated up, while starved worms migrated down. Populations isolated from around the world, migrated at angles to the magnetic vector that would optimize vertical translation in their native soil, with northern- and southern-hemisphere worms displaying opposite migratory preferences. Magnetic orientation and vertical migrations required the TAX-4 cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel in the AFD sensory neuron pair. Calcium imaging showed that these *For correspondence: jonps@ neurons respond to magnetic fields even without synaptic input. C. elegans may have adapted austin.utexas.edu magnetic orientation to simplify their vertical burrowing migration by reducing the orientation Present address: †School of task from three dimensions to one.
    [Show full text]
  • Table S5. the Information of the Bacteria Annotated in the Soil Community at Species Level
    Table S5. The information of the bacteria annotated in the soil community at species level No. Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species The number of contigs Abundance(%) 1 Firmicutes Bacilli Bacillales Bacillaceae Bacillus Bacillus cereus 1749 5.145782459 2 Bacteroidetes Cytophagia Cytophagales Hymenobacteraceae Hymenobacter Hymenobacter sedentarius 1538 4.52499338 3 Gemmatimonadetes Gemmatimonadetes Gemmatimonadales Gemmatimonadaceae Gemmatirosa Gemmatirosa kalamazoonesis 1020 3.000970902 4 Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Sphingomonadales Sphingomonadaceae Sphingomonas Sphingomonas indica 797 2.344876284 5 Firmicutes Bacilli Lactobacillales Streptococcaceae Lactococcus Lactococcus piscium 542 1.594633558 6 Actinobacteria Thermoleophilia Solirubrobacterales Conexibacteraceae Conexibacter Conexibacter woesei 471 1.385742446 7 Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Sphingomonadales Sphingomonadaceae Sphingomonas Sphingomonas taxi 430 1.265115184 8 Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Sphingomonadales Sphingomonadaceae Sphingomonas Sphingomonas wittichii 388 1.141545794 9 Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Sphingomonadales Sphingomonadaceae Sphingomonas Sphingomonas sp. FARSPH 298 0.876754244 10 Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Sphingomonadales Sphingomonadaceae Sphingomonas Sorangium cellulosum 260 0.764953367 11 Proteobacteria Deltaproteobacteria Myxococcales Polyangiaceae Sorangium Sphingomonas sp. Cra20 260 0.764953367 12 Proteobacteria Alphaproteobacteria Sphingomonadales Sphingomonadaceae Sphingomonas Sphingomonas panacis 252 0.741416341
    [Show full text]
  • Magnetic Properties of Uncultivated Magnetotactic Bacteria and Their Contribution to a Stratified Estuary Iron Cycle
    ARTICLE Received 6 Feb 2014 | Accepted 25 Jul 2014 | Published 1 Sep 2014 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5797 Magnetic properties of uncultivated magnetotactic bacteria and their contribution to a stratified estuary iron cycle A.P. Chen1, V.M. Berounsky2, M.K. Chan3, M.G. Blackford4, C. Cady5,w, B.M. Moskowitz6, P. Kraal7, E.A. Lima8, R.E. Kopp9, G.R. Lumpkin4, B.P. Weiss8, P. Hesse1 & N.G.F. Vella10 Of the two nanocrystal (magnetosome) compositions biosynthesized by magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), the magnetic properties of magnetite magnetosomes have been extensively studied using widely available cultures, while those of greigite magnetosomes remain poorly known. Here we have collected uncultivated magnetite- and greigite-producing MTB to determine their magnetic coercivity distribution and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra and to assess the MTB-associated iron flux. We find that compared with magnetite-producing MTB cultures, FMR spectra of uncultivated MTB are characterized by a wider empirical parameter range, thus complicating the use of FMR for fossilized magnetosome (magnetofossil) detection. Furthermore, in stark contrast to putative Neogene greigite magnetofossil records, the coercivity distributions for greigite-producing MTB are fundamentally left-skewed with a lower median. Lastly, a comparison between the MTB-associated iron flux in the investigated estuary and the pyritic-Fe flux in the Black Sea suggests MTB play an important, but heretofore overlooked role in euxinic marine system iron cycle. 1 Department of Environment and Geography, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia. 2 Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882, USA. 3 School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
    [Show full text]
  • A Perspective on Underlying Crystal Growth Mechanisms in Biomineralization: Solution Mediated Growth Versus Nanosphere Particle Accretion
    CrystEngComm A perspective on underlying crystal growth mechanisms in biomineralization: solution mediated growth versus nanosphere particle accretion Journal: CrystEngComm Manuscript ID: CE-HIG-07-2014-001474.R1 Article Type: Highlight Date Submitted by the Author: 01-Dec-2014 Complete List of Authors: Gal, Assaf; Weizmann Institute of Science, Structural Biology Weiner, Steve; Weizmann Institute of Science, Structural Biology Addadi, Lia; Weizmann Institute of Science, Structural Biology Page 1 of 23 CrystEngComm A perspective on underlying crystal growth mechanisms in biomineralization: solution mediated growth versus nanosphere particle accretion Assaf Gal, Steve Weiner, and Lia Addadi Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel 76100 Abstract Many organisms form crystals from transient amorphous precursor phases. In the cases where the precursor phases were imaged, they consist of nanosphere particles. Interestingly, some mature biogenic crystals also have nanosphere particle morphology, but some are characterized by crystallographic faces that are smooth at the nanometer level. There are also biogenic crystals that have both crystallographic faces and nanosphere particle morphology. This highlight presents a working hypothesis, stating that some biomineralization processes involve growth by nanosphere particle accretion, where amorphous nanoparticles are incorporated as such into growing crystals and preserve their morphology upon crystallization. This process produces biogenic crystals with a nanosphere particle morphology. Other biomineralization processes proceed by ion-by-ion growth, and some cases of biological crystal growth involve both processes. We also identify several biomineralization processes which do not seem to fit this working hypothesis. It is our hope that this highlight will inspire studies that will shed more light on the underlying crystallization mechanisms in biology.
    [Show full text]
  • Cell Structure and Function in the Bacteria and Archaea
    4 Chapter Preview and Key Concepts 4.1 1.1 DiversityThe Beginnings among theof Microbiology Bacteria and Archaea 1.1. •The BacteriaThe are discovery classified of microorganismsinto several Cell Structure wasmajor dependent phyla. on observations made with 2. theThe microscope Archaea are currently classified into two 2. •major phyla.The emergence of experimental 4.2 Cellscience Shapes provided and Arrangements a means to test long held and Function beliefs and resolve controversies 3. Many bacterial cells have a rod, spherical, or 3. MicroInquiryspiral shape and1: Experimentation are organized into and a specific Scientificellular c arrangement. Inquiry in the Bacteria 4.31.2 AnMicroorganisms Overview to Bacterialand Disease and Transmission Archaeal 4.Cell • StructureEarly epidemiology studies suggested how diseases could be spread and 4. Bacterial and archaeal cells are organized at be controlled the cellular and molecular levels. 5. • Resistance to a disease can come and Archaea 4.4 External Cell Structures from exposure to and recovery from a mild 5.form Pili allowof (or cells a very to attach similar) to surfacesdisease or other cells. 1.3 The Classical Golden Age of Microbiology 6. Flagella provide motility. Our planet has always been in the “Age of Bacteria,” ever since the first 6. (1854-1914) 7. A glycocalyx protects against desiccation, fossils—bacteria of course—were entombed in rocks more than 3 billion 7. • The germ theory was based on the attaches cells to surfaces, and helps observations that different microorganisms years ago. On any possible, reasonable criterion, bacteria are—and always pathogens evade the immune system. have been—the dominant forms of life on Earth.
    [Show full text]
  • Geobiology of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria Sheri Lynn Simmons
    Geobiology of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria by Sheri Lynn Simmons A.B., Princeton University, 1999 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Oceanography at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and the WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION June 2006 c Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2006. Author.............................................................. Joint Program in Oceanography Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution May 19, 2006 Certified by. Katrina J. Edwards Associate Scientist, Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Thesis Supervisor Accepted by......................................................... Ed DeLong Chair, Joint Committee for Biological Oceanography Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Geobiology of Marine Magnetotactic Bacteria by Sheri Lynn Simmons Submitted to the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and the WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION on May 19, 2006, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Oceanography Abstract Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) biomineralize intracellular membrane-bound crystals of magnetite (Fe3O4) or greigite (Fe3S4), and are abundant in the suboxic to anoxic zones of stratified marine environments worldwide. Their population densities (up to 105 cells ml−1) and high intracellular iron content suggest a potentially significant role in iron
    [Show full text]