Epsilon-Fe 2 O 3 is a novel intermediate for magnetite biosynthesis in magnetotactic bacteria

• DOI: 10.1186/s40824-019-0162-1
• Publication Date: 2019-08-02T13:05:59Z
• Authors: Tong Wen; Yunpeng Zhang; Yuanyuan Geng; Junquan Liu; Abdul Basit; Jiesheng Tian; Ying Li; Jilun Li; Jing Ju; Wei Jiang
• Keywords: Magnetosome; Magnetotactic Bacteria; Greigite

Abstract Background Natural biological magnetite nanoparticles are widely distributed from microorganisms to humans. It is found be very important in organisms, especially navigation. Moreover, purified also have potential applications bioengineering and biomedicine. Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) considered one of the most abundant species around world which can form intracellular membrane enveloped magnetic nanoparticles, referred as magnetosomes. To our knowledge, biomineralization magnetosome MTB involves a serious genes located on large unstable genomic region named island, specially exists MTB. The core formed via Fe (III) ion intermediates, for instance, α -Fe 2 O 3 ferrihydrite. Though biosynthesis represents general mechanism biogenic magnetite, knowledge remains limited. Method Cells used this study were cultured 7.5-L bioreactor, samples intermediate capture taken each certain time interval after generation condition. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyze detailed structure parameters crystal structures obtained by Fast Fourier Transform analyses. Results In study, we identified novel phase, ε , during maturation process kinetic analysis. Unlike has been reported precursor before, due its thermal instability, rare phase with scarce natural abundance. This finding confirmed that an MTB, shed new light pathway.