The Disruption of an OxyR-Like Protein Impairs Intracellular Magnetite Biomineralization in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1.

ABSTRACT: Magnetotactic bacteria synthesize intracellular membrane-enveloped magnetite bodies known as magnetosomes which have been applied in biotechnology and medicine. A series of proteins involved in ferric ion transport and redox required for magnetite formation have been identified but the knowledge of magnetosome biomineralization remains very limited. Here, we identify a novel OxyR homolog (named OxyR-Like), the disruption of which resulted in low ferromagnetism and disfigured nano-sized iron oxide crystals. High resolution-transmission electron microscopy showed that these nanoparticles are mainly composed of magnetite accompanied with ferric oxide including α-Fe₂O₃ and 𝜀-Fe₂O₃. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and DNase I footprinting showed

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5308003 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature