Analyzing The Structure, Synthesis, Function,...

Magnetotactic bacteria are a group of prokaryotes of varying morphologies. The morphologies include coccoid, helical, multicellular, rod-shaped, and vibriod (Bazylinski 1995). Magnetotactic bacteria were first discovered by Salvatore Bellini in 1963 (Jogler 2009). The commonality of all members of magnetotactic bacteria is that they passively orient and swim along the geomagnetic field by means of a method called magnetotaxis. The ability to swim along the geomagnetic field is made possible by an intracellular structure that all magnetotactic bacteria have, called the magnetosome ( ). Other commonalities that magnetotactic bacteria share is that they are all gram-negative bacteria, are motile by means of flagella, exhibit negative growth†¦show more content†¦Multiple morphologies of magnetosomes have been identified with electron microscopy. The forms include bullet-shaped, cubo-octahedral, elongated prismatic, and rectangular (Yan). Although there is some variation in the m orphology of magnetosomes, the morphology is consistent within a single magnetotactic species or strain (Bazylinski 1994). Magnetosomes are surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane that is 3-4 nm thick (Bazylinksi 2004). MORE *Talk about size of magnetosome, how they line in a row, dipole moments Synthesis of Magnetosomes As stated before, iron sulphide magnetosomes are not well researched. Consequently, very little is known about the conditions needed to synthesize greigite crystals. It is speculated that iron sulphide mineralization occurs in the absence of oxygen, as these types of magnetosomes are found in anaerobic and sulphidic conditions (Bazylinski 1993). As magnetite is well-researched, multiple factors influence the formation of iron oxide magnetosomes have been identified. The most important factors are the presence of oxygen, and substrates in the form of nitrogen oxides (Bazylinski 2004). MORE Synthesis of the magnetosomes is performed as a multistep process. The steps include magnetosome vesicle formation, iron uptake by the bacteria, iron transport into the magnetosome vesicle, and controlled biomineralization of either magnetite or greigite into the vesicle (Bazylinski 2004). Although the steps are known,