The magnetosome membrane protein, MmsF, is a major regulator of magnetite biomineralization in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1.

ABSTRACT: Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) use magnetosomes, membrane-bound crystals of magnetite or greigite, for navigation along geomagnetic fields. In Magnetospirillum magneticum sp. AMB-1, and other MTB, a magnetosome gene island (MAI) is essential for every step of magnetosome formation. An 8-gene region of the MAI encodes several factors implicated in control of crystal size and morphology in previous genetic and proteomic studies. We show that these factors play a minor role in magnetite biomineralization in vivo. In contrast, MmsF, a previously uncharacterized magnetosome membrane protein encoded within the same region plays a dominant role in defining crystal size and morphology and is sufficient for restoring magnetite synthesis in the absence of the other major biomineralization candidates.

SUBMITTER: Murat D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3570065 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature