Science Daily June 27, 2023 Magnetotactic bacteria contain magnetosomes, iron crystals wrapped in a membrane, which arrange themselves to align with the Earth’s magnetic field, causing the bacteria to travel in the direction of Earth’s magnetic field lines leading north or south. Magnetosome-producing microorganisms can sense and move toward the redox gradient. Researchers in Japan collected a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney. The mineralogical and geochemical characterization of the vent chimney sample showed an internal iron redox gradient. The electron microscopy of particles collected from the chimney sample revealed magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) cells with bullet-shaped magnetosomes, and there were minor occurrences […]
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Magnetic bacteria: Microorganisms can help to extract dangerous heavy metals from wastewater
Phys.org May 8, 2023 Researchers in Germany purified water containing uranium using a special kind of bacteria known as magnetotactic bacteria which can accumulate dissolved heavy metal in their cell walls. The bacteria form nanoscopic magnetic crystals within the cell which are arranged like a row of beads. Each individual magnetic crystal is embedded in a protective membrane. The crystals and membrane form the magnetosome which the bacteria use to align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field and orientate themselves in their habitat. It also makes them suitable for simple separation processes. The cell walls of magnetotactic bacteria are surrounded […]