Iron‐biomineralizing organelle in magnetotactic bacteria: function, synthesis and preservation in ancient rock samples

Summary Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous aquatic microorganisms that incorporate iron from their environment to synthesize intracellular nanoparticles of magnetite (Fe3O4) or greigite (Fe3S4) in a genetically controlled manner. Magnetite and greigite magnetic phases allow MTB to swim towa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEnvironmental microbiology Vol. 22; no. 9; pp. 3611 - 3632
Main Authors Amor, Matthieu, Mathon, François P., Monteil, Caroline L., Busigny, Vincent, Lefevre, Christopher T.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.09.2020
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Society for Applied Microbiology and Wiley-Blackwell
Subjects
Aquatic microorganisms
Bacteria
Bacteria - metabolism
Bacteriology
Biogeochemical cycle
Biogeochemical cycles
Biogeochemistry
Crystals
Cytoplasmic organelles
Greigite
Iron - metabolism
Iron oxides
Iron sulfides
Life Sciences
Magnetic Phenomena
Magnetite
Magnetite Nanoparticles
Magnetosomes - metabolism
Microbiology and Parasitology
Microorganisms
Mineralization
Nanoparticles
Oxidoreductions
Sediment samples
Sedimentary rocks
Sulfides - metabolism
Synthesis
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Summary:Summary Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are ubiquitous aquatic microorganisms that incorporate iron from their environment to synthesize intracellular nanoparticles of magnetite (Fe3O4) or greigite (Fe3S4) in a genetically controlled manner. Magnetite and greigite magnetic phases allow MTB to swim towards redox transition zones where they thrive. MTB may represent some of the oldest microorganisms capable of synthesizing minerals on Earth and have been proposed to significantly impact the iron biogeochemical cycle by immobilizing soluble iron into crystals that subsequently fossilize in sedimentary rocks. In the present article, we describe the distribution of MTB in the environment and discuss the possible function of the magnetite and greigite nanoparticles. We then provide an overview of the chemical mechanisms leading to iron mineralization in MTB. Finally, we update the methods used for the detection of MTB crystals in sedimentary rocks and present their occurrences in the geological record.
ISSN:1462-2912
1462-2920
DOI:10.1111/1462-2920.15098