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An acidic protein aligns magnetosomes along a filamentous structure in magnetotactic bacteria

Author

Listed:
  • André Scheffel

    (Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology)

  • Manuela Gruska

    (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry)

  • Damien Faivre

    (Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology)

  • Alexandros Linaroudis

    (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry)

  • Jürgen M. Plitzko

    (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry)

  • Dirk Schüler

    (Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology)

Abstract

To the ends of the Earth Aquatic magnetobacteria are able to navigate along Earth's magnetic field thanks to organelles called magnetosomes. In these, magnetite crystals are enclosed in a membrane and arranged in chains so as to act rather like compass needles. A gene cluster in the magnetobacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense was recently implicated in magnetosome formation. Now one of its genes, mamJ, is shown to code for a protein similar in structure to those controlling biomineralization in bones. In the absence of this protein, the magnetosomes collapse. MamJ protein seems to act by connecting empty vesicles to the filamentous structure, so that magnetite crystals then grow within the vesicles.

Suggested Citation

  • André Scheffel & Manuela Gruska & Damien Faivre & Alexandros Linaroudis & Jürgen M. Plitzko & Dirk Schüler, 2006. "An acidic protein aligns magnetosomes along a filamentous structure in magnetotactic bacteria," Nature, Nature, vol. 440(7080), pages 110-114, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:440:y:2006:i:7080:d:10.1038_nature04382
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04382
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    Cited by:

    1. Bahareh Kiani & Damien Faivre & Stefan Klumpp, 2018. "Self-organization and stability of magnetosome chains—A simulation study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, January.

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