Characterization of dominant giant rod-shaped magnetotactic bacteria from a low tide zone of the China Sea

Magnetotactic bacteria are a group of Gram-negative bacteria that synthesize magnetic crystals, enabling them to navigate in relation to magnetic field lines. Morphologies of magnetotactic bacteria include spirillum, coccoid, rod, vibrio, and multicellular morphotypes. The coccid shape is generally the most abundant morphotype among magnetotactic bacteria. Here we describe a species of giant rod-shaped magnetotactic bacteria(designated QR-1) collected from sediment in the low tide zone of Huiquan Bay(Yellow Sea, China). This morphotype accounted for 90% of the magnetotactic bacteria collected, and the only taxonomic group which was detected in the sampling site. Microscopy analysis revealed that QR-1 cells averaged(6.71±1.03)×(1.54±0.20) m m in size, and contained in each cell 42–146 magnetosomes that are arranged in a bundle formed one to four chains along the long axis of the cell. The QR-1 cells displayed axial magnetotaxis with an average velocity of 70±28 mm/s. Transmission electron microscopy based analysis showed that QR-1 cells had two tufts of fl agella at each end. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16 S r RNA genes revealed that QR-1 together with three other rod-shaped uncultivated magnetotactic bacteria are clustered into a deep branch of A lphaproteobacteria.

Characterization of uncultivated magnetotactic bacteria from the sediments of Yuehu Lake, China

Marine magnetotactic bacteria were collected from the intertidal sediments of Yuehu Lake（China）, where their abundance reached 103–104 ind./cm3. Diverse morphotypes of magnetotactic bacteria were observed, including cocci and oval, vibrio-, spirillum-, rod-, elliptical-, handle- and bar-shaped forms. The magnetococci were the most abundant, and had flagella arranged in parallel within a bundle. The majority of magnetosomes were arranged in one, two or multiple chains, although irregular arrangements were also evident. All the results of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy（HRTEM） analysis show that magnetosome crystals were composed of Fe3O4, and their morphology was specific to particular cell morphotypes. By the 16 S r RNA gene sequence analysis, we found fourteen operational taxonomic units（OTUs） which were related to magnetotactic bacteria. Among these, thirteen belonged to the Alphaproteobacteria and one to the Gammaproteobacteria.Compared with known axenic and uncultured marine magnetotactic bacteria, the 16 S r RNA gene sequences of most magnetotactic bacteria collected from the Yuehu Lake exhibited sequence identities ranging from 90.1% to96.2%（〈97%）. The results indicate that microbial communities containing previously unidentified magnetotactic bacteria occur in the Yuehu Lake.

Biosorption Equilibrium and Kinetics of Au（Ⅲ） and Cu（Ⅱ） on Magnetotactic Bacteria

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) as biosorbents for the adsorption of Au(III) and Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution have been investigated. The optimum adsorption conditions for both metal ions were the initial pH scope of 1—5.5 for Au(III) and 2.0—4.5 for Cu(II), room temperature, biomass concentration of 10.0g·L-1 and sorption du- ration more than 10 min. When the initial metal concentration were within 500mg·L-1, the maximum biosorption capacity of 1.0g of MTB (dry mass basis) for Au(III) and Cu(II) were calculated as 505.2mg of Au(III) and 493.1mg of Cu(II) by Langmuir model in single system, respectively. The isotherm equilibrium of Au(III) and Cu(II) ions in the Au-Cu binary system reflected a unique phenomenon that the adsorption of Au(III) was rein- forced and that of Cu(II) prohibited, compared respectively with their performances in the single metal system. When the concentration of Au(III) and Cu(II) were below 80mg·L-1, the wastewater after MTB treating was below 1.0mg·L-1, which is in conformity with Environmental Performance Standards (EPS) of Canada. Besides, all the kinetic data were fitted well to the pseudo second-order kinetic model with a high correlation coefficient (R2>0.999).

occurrence and microscopic analyses of multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes from coastal sediments in the Yellow Sea

Multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes(MMPs) are a group of aggregates composed of 7-45 gram-negative cells synthesizing intracellular magnetic crystals.Although they are thought to be globally distributed,MMPs have been observed only in marine environments in America and Europe.Most MMPs share a rosette-like morphology and biomineralize iron sulfide crystals.In the present study,abundant MMPs were observed,with a density of 26 ind./cm3,in the sediments of a coastal lagoon,Lake Yuehu,in the Yellow Sea.Optical microscopy showed that all of them were rosette shaped with a diameter of 5.5±0.8 mm.Transmission electron microscopy revealed that these MMPs were composed of 10-16 ovoid cells and flagellated peritrichously.High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis indicated that they biomineralized bullet-shaped magnetite crystals in highly organized parallel chains within which the magnetosomes were oriented in the same direction.This is the first report of MMPs from Asia and demonstrates the ubiquitous distribution of MMPs.

Copper-organic Framework Constructed from Rod-shaped Secondary Building Units with Selective Sorption Property

One novel metal-organic framework [Cu2（L）（μ3-OH）]n（1, H3L = [1,1＇：3＇,1＇＇-terphenyl]-4,4＇＇,5＇-tricarboxylic acid） has been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal powder X-ray diffraction, IR and thermogravimetric analyses. Complex 1 crystallizes in orthorhombic crystal system, space group Pbca with a = 21.573（19）, b = 5.404（5）, c = 33.78（3） ？, C21H（12）O7Cu2, Mr = 503.39, V = 3938（6） A^3, Z = 8, Dc = 1.698 g·cm^-3, μ = 2.202 mm^-1, F（000） = 2016, 1.531〈θ〈25.009°, λ（Mo Kα） = 0.71073 A, T = 293（2） K, the final R = 0.0448 and wR = 0.1002. The structure of complex 1 is a three-dimensional（3D） framework based on infinite rod-shaped secondary building units and can be simplified as kgd topology. The gas adsorption measurements for N2, CO2, H2O, CH3OH and CH3CH2OH have been done. Fortunately, the selective sorption of CO2 over N2 was found at 195 K.

Release the iron: does the infection of magnetotactic bacteria by phages play a role in making iron available in aquatic environments?

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB)are ubiquitous prokaryotes that orient along magnetic field lines due to magnetosomes’biomineralization within the cell.These structures are ferrimagnetic organelles that impart a magnetic moment to the cell.To succeed in producing magnetosomes,MTB accumulate iron in(i)cytoplasm;(ⅱ)magnetosomes;and(ⅲ)nearby the organelle.It has already been estimated that a single MTB has an iron content of 10 to 100-fold higher than Escherichia coli.Phages are the most abundant entity in oceans and are known for controlling nutrient flow such as carbon and nitrogen by viral shunt and pump.The current work addresses the putative role of phages that infect MTB on the iron biogeochemical cycle.Can phage infection in MTB hosts cause a biogenic iron fertilization-like event in localized microenvironments?Are phages critical players in driving magnetosome biomineralization genes(BGs)horizontal transfer?Further investigation of those events,including frequency of occurrence,is necessary to fully comprehend MTB’s effect on iron cycling in aqueous environments.

Morphological and phylogenetic diversity of magnetotactic bacteria and multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes from a mangrove ecosystem in the Sanya River,South China

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB)are morphologically and phylogenetically diverse prokaryotes commonly able to produce magnetic nanocrystals within intracellular membrane-bound organelles(i.e.,magnetosomes)and to swim along geomagnetic field lines.We studied the diversity of MTB in the samples collected from a mangrove area in the Sanya River,Hainan,South China,using microscopic and microbial phylogenetic methods.Results of microanalysis and observation in microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDXS)reveal a highly morphological diversity of MTB including unicellular cocci,vibrios,rod-shaped bacteria,and three morphotypes of multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes(MMPs).In addition,analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that these MTB were clustered into 16 operational taxonomic units affi liated to the Alpha-,Delta-,and Gamma-proteobacteria classes within the Proteobacteria phylum.Meanwhile,by using the coupled fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy analysis,rodshaped bacteria,vibrio,and cocci were phylogenetically and structurally identified at the single-cell level.This study demonstrated highly diverse MTB communities in the mangrove ecosystem and provide a new insight into the overall diversity of MTB.

Design and application of the method for isolating magnetotactic bacteria

A simple apparatus was designed to effectively isolate magnetotactic bacteria from soils or sediments based on their magnetotaxis. Through a series of processes including sample incubation, MTB harvesting, isolation, purification and identification, several strains of bacteria were isolated from the samples successfully. By Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA), these bacteria were certificated to be magnetotactic bacteria. The phylogenetic relationship between the isolated magnetic strains and some known magnetotactic bacteria was inferred by the construction of phylogenetic tree based on 16SrDNA sequences. This apparatus has been proven to have the advantages of being inexpensive, simple to assemble, easy to perform and highly efficient to isolate novel magnetotactic bacteria. The research indicated that the combined approach of harvesting MTB by home-made apparatus and the method of plate colony isolation could purify and isolate magnetotactic bacteria effectively.

Characterization of Mediterranean Magnetotactic Bacteria

Magnetotactic bacteria are a diverse group of motile prokaryotes that are ubiquitous in aquatic habitats and cosmopolitan in distribution. In this study, we collected magnetotactic bacteria from the Mediterranean Sea. A remarkable diversity of morphotypes was observed, including multicellular types that seemed to differ from those previously found in North and South America. Another interesting organism was one with magnetosomes arranged in a six-stranded bundle which occupied one third of the cell width. The magnetosome bundle was evident even under optic microscopy. These cells were connected together and swam as a linear entire unit. Magnetosomes did not always align up to form a straight linear chain. A chain composed of rectangle magnetosomes bent at a posi- tion with an oval crystal. High resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis of the crystal at the pivotal position suggested uncompleted formation of the crystal. This is the first report of Mediterranean magnetotactic bacteria, which should be useful for studies of biogeochemical cycling and geohistory of the Mediterranean Sea.

Performance Research on Magnetotactic Bacteria Optimization Algorithm with the Best Individual-Guided Differential Interaction Energy

Magnetotactic bacteria optimization algorithm (MBOA) is a new optimization algorithm inspired by the characteristics of magnetotactic bacteria, which is a kind of polyphyletic group of prokaryotes with the characteristics of magnetotaxis that make them orient and swim along geomagnetic field lines. The original Magnetotactic Bacteria Optimization Algorithm (MBOA) and several new variants of MBOA mimics the interaction energy between magnetosomes chains to obtain moments for solving problems. In this paper, Magnetotactic Bacteria Optimization Algorithm with the Best Individual-guided Differential Interaction Energy (MBOA-BIDE) is proposed. We improved interaction energy calculation by using the best individual-guided?differential interaction energy formation. We focus on analyzing the performance of different parameters settings. The experiment results show that the proposed algorithm is sensitive to parameters settings on some functions.

Characterization and diversity of magnetotactic bacteria from sediments of Caroline Seamount in the Western Pacific Ocean

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB)are a group of microorganisms capable of orientating and swimming along magnetic fields because they contain intracellular biomineralized magnetosomes composed of magnetite(Fe 3 O 4)or/and greigite(Fe_(3)S_(4)).They are ubiquitous in freshwater,brackish,and marine habitats,and are cosmopolitan in distribution.However,knowledge of their occurrence and distribution in seamount ecosystems is limited.We investigated the diversity and distribution of MTB in the Caroline Seamount(CM4).The abundance of living MTB in 12 stations in depth varying from 90 to 1545 m was 1.1×10^(3)-43.7×10^(3) inds./dm 3.Despite diverse shapes of MTB observed,magnetotactic cocci were the dominant morphotype and could be categorized into two types:1)typical cocci that appeared to have peritrichous fl agella;and 2)those characterized by having a drop-shaped form and one bundle of fl agella located at the thin/narrow end of the cell.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)analysis revealed that the magnetosomes formed by those magnetotactic cocci are magnetite(Fe 3 O 4)with octahedral crystal habit.A total of 41 operational taxonomic units(OTUs)of putative MTB(2702 reads)were acquired from nine stations,based on high-throughput sequencing.Of these,40 OTUs belonged to the Proteobacteria phylum and one belonged to the Nitrospirae phylum.We found apparent connectivity between the MTB populations on the Caroline and Kexue(Science in Chinese)seamounts,although the diversity of MTB on Caroline was much richer than on the Kexue Seamount.Our results imply that the unique topography of seamounts and other as-yet unclear environmental factors could lead to evolution of different fl agella arrangements in magnetotactic cocci,and the occurrence of octahedral magnetite magnetosomes.

Magnetotactic bacteria from the human gut microbiome associated with orientation and navigation regions of the brain

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB),ubiquitous in soil and fresh and saltwater sources have been identified in the microbiome of humans and many animals.MTB endogenously produce magnetic nanocrystals enabling them to orient and navigate along geomagnetic fields.Similar magnetite deposits have been found throughout the tissues of the human brain,including brain regions associated with orientation such as the cerebellum and hippocampus,the origins of which remain unknown.Speculation over the role and source of MTB in humans,as well as any association with the brain,remain unanswered.We performed a metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiome of 34 healthy females as well as grey matter volume analysis in magnetite-rich brain regions associated with orientation and navigation with the goal of identifying specific MTB that could be associated with brain structure in orientation and navigation regions.We identified seven MTB in the human gut microbiome:Magnetococcus marinus,Magnetospira sp.QH-2,Magnetospirillum magneticum,Magnetospirillum sp.ME-1,Magnetospirillum sp.XM-1,Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense,and Desulfovibrio magneticus.Our preliminary results show significant negative associations between multiple MTB with bilateral flocculonodular lobes of the cerebellum and hippocampus(adjusted for total intracranial volume,uncorrected P<0.05).These findings indicate that MTB in the gut are associated with grey matter volume in magnetite-rich brain regions related to orientation and navigation.These preliminary findings support MTB as a potential biogenic source for brain magnetite in humans.Further studies will be necessary to validate and elucidate the relationship between these bacteria,magnetite concentrations,and brain function.

Biocompatibility of marine magnetotactic ovoid strain MO-1 for in vivo application

Magnetotactic bacteria are capable of biosynthesizing magnetic nanoparticles,also called magnetosomes,and swimming along magnetic field lines.The abilities endow the whole cells of magnetotactic bacteria with such applications as targeted therapy and manipulation of microrobots.We have shown that the intact marine magnetotactic bacteria MO-1 kill efficiently antibiotic-resistant pathogen Staphylococcus aureus in vivo,but the biocompatibility of this marine bacterium is unknown.In this study,the strain MO-1 was chosen to analyze its biocompatibility and potential for biomedicine applications.Results showed that MO-1 cells could be guided at 37℃ under an external magnetic field and swim in the blood plasma and urine.They could keep active locomotivity within 40 min in the plasma and urine,although their velocity slowed down.When incubated with human cells,magnetotactic bacteria MO-1 had no obvious effects on cellular viability at low dose,while the cell toxicity increased with the augmentation of the quantity of the MO-1 cells added.In the in-vivo experiments,the median lethal dose of magnetotactic bacteria MO-1 in rats was determined to be 7.9×10^(10) bacteria/kg.These results provided the foundation for the biocompatibility and safety evaluations of magnetotactic bacteria MO-1 and suggested that they could be basically used in clinical targeted therapy.

Genomic analysis of a pure culture of magnetotactic bacterium Terasakiella sp.SH-1

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB)display magnetotaxis ability because of biomineralization of intracellular nanometer-sized,membrane-bound organelles termed magnetosomes.Despite having been discovered more than half a century,only a few representatives of MTB have been isolated and cultured in the laboratory.In this study,we report the genomic characterization of a novel marine magnetotactic spirillum strain SH-1 belonging to the genus Terasakiella that was recently isolated.A gene encoding haloalkane dehalogenase,which is involved in the degradation of chlorocyclohexane,chlorobenzene,chloroalkane,and chloroalkene,was identified.SH-1 genome contained cysCHI and soxBAZYX genes,thus potentially capable of assimilatory sulfate reduction to H_(2)S and using thiosulfate as electron donors and oxidizing it to sulfate.Genome of SH-1 also contained genes encoding periplasmic dissimilatory nitrate reductases(napAB),assimilatory nitrate reductase(nasA)and assimilatory nitrite reductases(nasB),suggesting that it is capable of gaining energy by converting nitrate to ammonia.The pure culture of Terasakiella sp.SH-1 together with its genomic results off ers new opportunities to examine biology,physiology,and biomineralization mechanisms of MTB.

Observations on a magnetotactic bacteria-grazing ciliate in sediment from the intertidal zone of Huiquan Bay,China

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB)are a group of prokaryotes having the ability to orient and swim along geomagnetic field lines because they contain intracellular magnetosomes that are synthesized through a biomineralization process.Magnetosomes have recently also been found in unicellular eukaryotes,which are referred to as magnetically responsive protists(MRPs).The magnetosomes have three origins in MRPs.In this study,we characterized a MTB-grazing ciliated MRP that was magnetically collected from intertidal sediment of Huiquan Bay,Qingdao,China.Based on 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis,the ciliated MRP was tentatively identified as Uronemella parafi lificum HQ.Using transmission electron microscopy,we observed that magnetosomes having 2-3 shapes were randomly distributed within this ciliate.Energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images of the magnetosomes were consistent with them being composed of magnetite.Magnetosomes having the same shape and mineral composition were also detected in MTB that occurred in the same environment as the ciliated MRP.Statistical analysis showed that the size and shape of the magnetosomes in the ciliated MRP were similar to those in MTB.The results suggest that this ciliated MRP can graze,ingest,and digest various types of MTB.It is certainly worth noting that this is the first record of MRPs in Asian aquatic sediment and suggesting they might be widely distributed.These results also support the assertion that MRPs probably contribute to the ecological cycles of iron,and expand possibilities for research into the mechanism of magnetoreception in eukaryotes.

Properties of Magnetite Nanoparticles Produced by Magnetotactic Bacteria

The magnetic nanoparticles（magnetite） were prepared through the fermentation of the Magnetospirillum strain WM-1 newly isolated by our group. The samples were characterized by TEM, SAED, XRD, rock magnetic analysis, and Mossbauer spectroscopy. TEM and SAED measurements showed that the magnetosomes formed by strain WM-1 were single crystallites of high perfection with a cubic spinel structure of magnetite. X-ray measurements also fitted very well with standard Fe3O4 reflections with an inverse spinel structure of the magnetite core. The size of crystal as calculated by the Debye-Scherrer’s equation was approximately 55 nm. Rock magnetic analysis showed WM-1 synthesized single-domain magnetite magnetosomes, which were arranged in the form of linear chain. The high delta ratio（（δFC / δZFC = 4） supported the criteria of Moskowitz test that there were intact magnetosomes chains in cells. The Verwey transition occurred at 105 K that closed to stoochiometric magnetite in composition. These observations provided useful insights into the biomineralization of magnetosomes and properties of M. WM-1 and potential application of biogenic magnetite in biomaterials and biomagnetism.

Magnetotactic Bacteria Algorithm for Function Optimization

Magnetotactic bacteria is a kind of polyphyletic group of prokaryotes with the characteristics of magnetotaxis that make them orient and swim along geomagnetic field lines. A magnetotactic bacteria optimization algorithm(MBOA) inspired by the characteristics of magnetotactic bacteria is researched in the paper. Experiment results show that the MBOA is effective in function optimization problems and has good and competitive performance compared with the other classical optimization algorithms.

Isolation and biological characteristics of aerobic marine magnetotactic bacterium YSC-1

Magnetotactic bacteria have become a hot spot of research in microbiology attracting inten-sive interest of researchers in multiple disciplinary fields. However, the studies were limited in few fas-tidious bacteria. The objective of this study aims at isolating new marine magnetic bacteria and better comprehension of magnetotactic bacteria. In this study, an aerobic magnetotactic bacterium YSC-1 was isolated from sediments in the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM). In TEM, magnetic cells have one or several circular magnetosomes in diameter of 100nm, and consist of Fe and Co shown on energy dis-persive X-ray spectrum. The biological and physiological characteristics of this bacterium were also de-scribed. The colour of YSC-1 colony is white in small rod. The gram stain is negative. Results showed that Strain YSC-1 differs from microaerophile magnetotactic bacteria MS-1 and WD-1 in biology.

Determination of the heating efficiency of magnetotactic bacteria in alternating magnetic field

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB)intact cells have been applied in magnetic hyperthermia therapy of tumor,showing great efficiency in heating for tumor cell inhibition.However,the detailed magnetic hyperthermia properties and optimum heat production conditions of MTB cells are still poorly understood due to lack of standard measuring equipment.The specific absorption rate(SAR)of MTB cells is often measured by home-made equipment at a limited frequency and magnetic field amplitude.In this study,we have used a commercial standard system to implement a comprehensive study of the hyperthermic response of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1 strain under 7 frequencies of 144-764 kHz,and 8 field amplitudes between 10 and 45 kA/m.The measurement results prove that the SAR of MTB cells increases with magnetic field frequency and amplitude within a certain range.In combination with the magnetic measurements,it is determined that the magnetic hyperthermia mechanism of MTB mainly follows the principle of hysteresis loss,and the heat efficiency of MTB cells in alternating magnetic field are mainly aff ected by three parameters of hysteresis loop,saturation magnetisation,saturation remanent magnetisation,and coercivity.Thus when we culture MTB in LA-2 medium containing sodium nitrate as source of nitrogen,the SAR of MTB LA-2 cells with magnetosomes arranged in chains can be as high as 4925.6 W/g(in this work,all SARs are calculated with iron mass)under 764 kHz and 30 kA/m,which is 7.5 times than current commercial magnetic particles within similar size range.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MAIN CHAIN AROMATIC LIQUID CRYSTAL COPOLYESTERS WITH X-SHAPED AND ROD-SHAPED MESOGENIC UNITS

A series of main chain liquid crystal aromatic copolyesters with X-shaped and rod-shaped mesogenic units were synthesized via solution condensation polymerizations of 4,4'-(alpha,omega-octanedioyloxy)-dibenzoyl dichlorides with 2,5-bis(p-octanoxy benzoyloxy)-hydroquinone and diphenol. All of the copolyesters showed thermotropic liquid crystalline behaviors through observations using DSC, polarized microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The melting point (T-m) and the isotropization temperature (T-i) change regularly with varying the content of diphenol unit in the copolymers.