The magnetic properties of magnetosome magnetite are of interdisciplinary interest because magnetosomes are potential carriers of natural remanent magnetization and paleoenvironment, as well as novel nano-biomaterials...The magnetic properties of magnetosome magnetite are of interdisciplinary interest because magnetosomes are potential carriers of natural remanent magnetization and paleoenvironment, as well as novel nano-biomaterials in biotechnological and biomedical applications. We carried out magnetic and electron transmission microscopy analyses of fresh Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 whole cells and isolated magnetosomes. Results revealed that AMB-1 synthesized single-domain magnetite magneto-somes, which are arranged in the form of linear fragmental chain. The distinct differences of magnetic properties between these two samples can be faithfully interpreted in terms of spatial arrangement of magnetosomes and magnetostatic interaction. For the whole cells, the strong intra-chain interactions and weak inter-chain interactions generate behaviors of non-interacting uniaxial single-domain particles. Its δ-ratio is 3.0 and passes the Moskowitz test. In contrast, the isolated magnetosome sample has reduced values of coercivity and δ-ratio (1.5), due to increasing three-dimensional magnetostatic interactions and collapse of magneto-some chains. These observations provide useful insights into applications of the biogenic magnetite (magnetosomes) in magnetic nano-materials and magnetofossils in the paleomagnetic and environmental magnetism.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40821091 and 40325011)Hundred Talents Program of the Chi-nese Academy of Sciences and Marie-Curie Fellowship (IIF) Return Phase of (Grant No. MIF1-CT-2005-007555)
文摘The magnetic properties of magnetosome magnetite are of interdisciplinary interest because magnetosomes are potential carriers of natural remanent magnetization and paleoenvironment, as well as novel nano-biomaterials in biotechnological and biomedical applications. We carried out magnetic and electron transmission microscopy analyses of fresh Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 whole cells and isolated magnetosomes. Results revealed that AMB-1 synthesized single-domain magnetite magneto-somes, which are arranged in the form of linear fragmental chain. The distinct differences of magnetic properties between these two samples can be faithfully interpreted in terms of spatial arrangement of magnetosomes and magnetostatic interaction. For the whole cells, the strong intra-chain interactions and weak inter-chain interactions generate behaviors of non-interacting uniaxial single-domain particles. Its δ-ratio is 3.0 and passes the Moskowitz test. In contrast, the isolated magnetosome sample has reduced values of coercivity and δ-ratio (1.5), due to increasing three-dimensional magnetostatic interactions and collapse of magneto-some chains. These observations provide useful insights into applications of the biogenic magnetite (magnetosomes) in magnetic nano-materials and magnetofossils in the paleomagnetic and environmental magnetism.
