Genomic evidence of the illumination response mechanism and evolutionary history of magnetotactic bacteria within the Rhodospirillaceae family.

BACKGROUND: Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous in natural aquatic environments. MTB can produce intracellular magnetic particles, navigate along geomagnetic field, and respond to light. However, the potential mechanism by which MTB respond to illumination and their evolutionary relationship with photosynthetic bacteria remain elusive. RESULTS: We utilized genomes of the well-sequenced genus Magnetospirillum, including the newly sequenced MTB strain Magnetospirillum sp. XM-1 to perform a comprehensive genomic comparison with phototrophic bacteria within the family Rhodospirillaceae regarding the illumination response mechanism. First, photoreceptor genes were identified in the genomes of both MTB and phototrophic bacteria in the Rhodospirillaceae family, but no photosynthesis genes were found in the MTB genomes. Most of the photoreceptor genes in the MTB genomes from this family encode phytochrome-domain photoreceptors that likely induce red/far-red light phototaxis. Second, illumination also causes damage within the cell, and in Rhodospirillaceae, both MTB and phototrophic bacteria possess complex but similar sets of response and repair genes, such as oxidative stress response, iron homeostasis and DNA repair system genes. Lastly, phylogenomic analysis showed that MTB cluster closely with phototrophic bacteria in this family. One photoheterotrophic genus, Phaeospirillum, clustered within and displays high genomic similarity with Magnetospirillum. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree topologies of magnetosome synthesis genes in MTB and photosynthesis genes in phototrophic bacteria from the Rhodospirillaceae family were reasonably congruent with the phylogenomic tree, suggesting that these two traits were most likely vertically transferred during the evolution of their lineages. CONCLUSION: Our new genomic data indicate that MTB and phototrophic bacteria within the family Rhodospirillaceae possess diversified photoreceptors that may be responsible for phototaxis. Their genomes also contain comprehensive stress response genes to mediate the negative effects caused by illumination. Based on phylogenetic studies, most of MTB and phototrophic bacteria in the Rhodospirillaceae family evolved vertically with magnetosome synthesis and photosynthesis genes. The ancestor of Rhodospirillaceae was likely a magnetotactic phototrophic bacteria, however, gain or loss of magnetotaxis and phototrophic abilities might have occurred during the evolution of ancestral Rhodospirillaceae lineages.

Magnetosomes extracted from Magnetospirillum magneticum strain AMB-1 showed enhanced peroxidase-like activity under visible-light irradiation.

Magnetosomes are intracellular structures produced by magnetotactic bacteria and are magnetic nanoparticles surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane. Magnetosomes reportedly possess intrinsic enzyme mimetic activity similar to that found in horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and can scavenge reactive oxygen species depending on peroxidase activity. Our previous study has demonstrated the phototaxis characteristics of Magnetospirillum magneticum strain AMB-1 cells, but the mechanism is not well understood. Therefore, we studied the relationship between visible-light irradiation and peroxidase-like activity of magnetosomes extracted from M. magneticum strain AMB-1. We then compared this characteristic with that of HRP, iron ions, and naked magnetosomes using 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine as a peroxidase substrate in the presence of H2O2. Results showed that HRP and iron ions had different activities from those of magnetosomes and naked magnetosomes when exposed to visible-light irradiation. Magnetosomes and naked magnetosomes had enhanced peroxidase-like activities under visible-light irradiation, but magnetosomes showed less affinity toward substrates than naked magnetosomes under visible-light irradiation. These results suggested that the peroxidase-like activity of magnetosomes may follow an ordered ternary mechanism rather than a ping-pong mechanism. This finding may provide new insight into the function of magnetosomes in the phototaxis in magnetotactic bacteria.

Learning from nature to improve the heat generation of iron-oxide nanoparticles for magnetic hyperthermia applications.

The performance of magnetic nanoparticles is intimately entwined with their structure, mean size and magnetic anisotropy. Besides, ensembles offer a unique way of engineering the magnetic response by modifying the strength of the dipolar interactions between particles. Here we report on an experimental and theoretical analysis of magnetic hyperthermia, a rapidly developing technique in medical research and oncology. Experimentally, we demonstrate that single-domain cubic iron oxide particles resembling bacterial magnetosomes have superior magnetic heating efficiency compared to spherical particles of similar sizes. Monte Carlo simulations at the atomic level corroborate the larger anisotropy of the cubic particles in comparison with the spherical ones, thus evidencing the beneficial role of surface anisotropy in the improved heating power. Moreover we establish a quantitative link between the particle assembling, the interactions and the heating properties. This knowledge opens new perspectives for improved hyperthermia, an alternative to conventional cancer therapies.

Effects of pulsed magnetic field on the formation of magnetosomes in the Magnetospirillum sp. strain AMB-1.

Magnetotactic bacteria are a diverse group of microorganisms which possess one or more chains of magnetosomes and are endowed with the ability to use geomagnetic fields for direction sensing, thus providing a simple and excellent model for the study of magnetite-based magnetoreception. In this study, a 50 Hz, 2 mT pulsed magnetic field (PMF) was applied to study the effects on the formation of magnetosomes in Magnetospirillum sp. strain AMB-1. The results showed that the cellular magnetism (R(mag)) of AMB-1 culture significantly increased while the growth of cells remained unaffected after exposure. The number of magnetic particles per cell was enhanced by about 15% and slightly increased ratios of magnetic particles of superparamagnetic property (size <20 nm) and mature magnetosomes (size >50 nm) were observed after exposure to PMF. In addition, the intracellular iron accumulation slightly increased after PMF exposure. Therefore, it was concluded that 50 Hz, 2 mT PMF enhances the formation of magnetosomes in Magnetospirillum sp. strain AMB-1. Our results suggested that lower strength of PMF has no significant effects on the bacterial cell morphologies but could affect crystallization process of magnetosomes to some extent.