Crystal habits and magnetic microstructures of magnetosomes in coccoid magnetotactic bacteria

Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências

Ulysses Lins²  Martha R. Mccartney¹  Marcos Farina¹  Richard B. Frankel¹  Peter R. Buseck¹ 

[1] ,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro CCS Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de GóesRio de Janeiro RJ ,Brasil

关键词: magnetite;    magnetotaxis;    high-resolution transmission electron microscopy;    magnetita;    magnetotaxia;    microscopia eletrônica de transmissão de alta resolução;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0001-37652006000300007

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

We report on the application of off-axis electron holography and high-resolution TEM to study the crystal habits of magnetosomes and magnetic microstructure in two coccoid morphotypes of magnetotactic bacteria collected from a brackish lagoon at Itaipu, Brazil. Itaipu-1, the larger coccoid organism, contains two separated chains of unusually large magnetosomes; the magnetosome crystals have roughly square projections, lengths up to 250 nm and are slightly elongated along [111] (width/length ratio of about 0.9). Itaipu-3 magnetosome crystals have lengths up to 120 nm, greater elongation along [111] (width/length ~0.6), and prominent corner facets. The results show that Itaipu-1 and Itaipu-3 magnetosome crystal habits are related, differing only in the relative sizes of their crystal facets. In both cases, the crystals are aligned with their [111] elongation axes parallel to the chain direction. In Itaipu-1, but not Itaipu-3, crystallographic positioning perpendicular to [111] of successive crystals in the magnetosome chain appears to be under biological control. Whereas the large magnetosomes in Itaipu-1 are metastable, single-magnetic domains, magnetosomes in Itaipu-3 are permanent, single-magnetic domains, as in most magnetotactic bacteria.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
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