A cultured greigite-producing magnetotactic bacterium in a novel group of sulfate-reducing bacteria

Science. 2011 Dec 23;334(6063):1720-3. doi: 10.1126/science.1212596.

Abstract

Magnetotactic bacteria contain magnetosomes--intracellular, membrane-bounded, magnetic nanocrystals of magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)) or greigite (Fe(3)S(4))--that cause the bacteria to swim along geomagnetic field lines. We isolated a greigite-producing magnetotactic bacterium from a brackish spring in Death Valley National Park, California, USA, strain BW-1, that is able to biomineralize greigite and magnetite depending on culture conditions. A phylogenetic comparison of BW-1 and similar uncultured greigite- and/or magnetite-producing magnetotactic bacteria from freshwater to hypersaline habitats shows that these organisms represent a previously unknown group of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the Deltaproteobacteria. Genomic analysis of BW-1 reveals the presence of two different magnetosome gene clusters, suggesting that one may be responsible for greigite biomineralization and the other for magnetite.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • California
  • Crystallization
  • Culture Media
  • Deltaproteobacteria / classification
  • Deltaproteobacteria / genetics
  • Deltaproteobacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Deltaproteobacteria / metabolism
  • Ecosystem
  • Ferrosoferric Oxide / analysis
  • Ferrosoferric Oxide / metabolism
  • Fresh Water / microbiology
  • Genes, rRNA
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Geologic Sediments / microbiology
  • Iron / analysis
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Magnetic Phenomena*
  • Magnetosomes / chemistry*
  • Natural Springs / microbiology*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Salinity
  • Sulfates / metabolism*
  • Sulfides / analysis
  • Sulfides / metabolism*
  • Water Microbiology*

Substances

  • Culture Media
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Sulfates
  • Sulfides
  • greigite
  • Iron
  • Ferrosoferric Oxide