Formation of Magnetosomes in Magnetotactic Bacteria / 微生物学通报

ABSTRACT

Magnetotactic bacteria can orient and migrate along ambient geomagnetic field lines because of their intracellular magnetic particles ( referred as magnetosomes) , which comprise nanometer-sized, membrane-bound crystals of the magnetic iron minerals. Magnetosome formation is a mineralization process with very strict biological controls over the accumulation, transportation and nucleation in the cell. This paper describes the current progresses of magnetosome formation and the function of proteins involved in this biomineralization process.