Different Species of Magnetotactic Bacteria Produce Magnetosomes in Surprisingly Diverse Ways

Abstract:

Magnetotactic Bacteria (MTB) are major participants in bio-geomagnetism and serve as models for understanding magneto-reception by animals. These single-cell organisms construct magnetosome organelles consisting of chains of membrane-bound single-domain nano-crystals of magnetite or greigite that are uniform in size and shape. How are these organelles and crystals constructed? Our current model is based on studying the alpha-proteobacterial MTB, which produce magnetosomes containing cubo-octahedral magnetite crystals. However, different species of MTB synthesize crystals of different shapes and sizes that are arranged within the cell in different ways. For example, the delta-proteobacterial MTB Desulfovibrio magneticus RS-1 produces elongated, bullet-shaped magnetite crystals. By comparing the genes required for a magnetic response in RS-1 to our alpha-proteobacterial model, I identify new genes that are required for synthesizing these different magnetosomes. Surprisingly, the phenotypes of mutants that have a limited magnetic response indicate that the fundamental way that magnetosomes are produced and organized within the cell are different between the delta- and alpha-protobacterial MTBs. Upon closer examination of the properties of RS-1 magnetosomes, I suggest that we need to expand our understanding of what a magnetosome is.