Habits of magnetosome crystals in coccoid magnetotactic bacteria

Ulysses Lins; Martha R McCartney; Marcos Farina; Richard B Frankel; Peter R Buseck

doi:10.1128/AEM.71.8.4902-4905.2005

Habits of magnetosome crystals in coccoid magnetotactic bacteria

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Aug;71(8):4902-5. doi: 10.1128/AEM.71.8.4902-4905.2005.

Authors

Ulysses Lins¹, Martha R McCartney, Marcos Farina, Richard B Frankel, Peter R Buseck

Affiliation

¹ Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Prof. Paulo de Góes, CCS, Bl. I, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ulins@micro.ufrj.br

Abstract

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron holography were used to study the habits of exceptionally large magnetite crystals in coccoid magnetotactic bacteria. In addition to the crystal habits, the crystallographic positioning of successive crystals in the magnetosome chain appears to be under strict biological control.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Bacteria / ultrastructure*
Crystallization
Ferric Compounds* / metabolism
Ferrosoferric Oxide
Holography
Iron / metabolism*
Magnetics*
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Oxides / metabolism*

Substances

Ferric Compounds
Oxides
Iron
Ferrosoferric Oxide