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Project description
Magnetotaxic bacteria is the core of the 2013 iGEM team representing the University of Copenhagen. In nature, these bacteria exert an extraordinary ability to coordinate themselves in relation to the earth’s magnetic field. This ability is mediated by organelle-like structures (magnetosomes) lining the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane. Significant amounts of Magnetite (Fe3O4) also accumulate here, thus making enrichment of these bacteria possible by using a simple magnet. Clearly, such magnificent abilities raise ideas and opportunities for developing novel and progressive bacterial applications. Choosing from a range of somewhat diverse projects, we have decided to study the formation of the magnetosomes. Hereby, we hope to be able to suggest a strategy for new types of selections markers based on magnetism. This will hopefully stand as a convenient alternative to the general standard of working with antibiotic resistance for selections markers. During the project we hope to succeed in performing a series of proof-of-concept experiments, whilst also attaching the importance of public outreach. In this way, we hope to be able to display the fascinating world of applied bioscience to the general public.
Project Magneto
We called ourselves and our project Magneto(s) since we are exploring the special superpower of magnetotactic bacteria and its various possible future applications.
Magnetotactic bacteria are the star of our project. They are known for their unique ability to orientate in the earth’s magnetic field, a property that they owe to specialized organelles called magnetosomes, which contain magnetic crystals of magnetite (Fe3O4) or greigite (Fe3S4). Magnetosomes arrange together in chains and act as a compass needle by orienting the cell in the magnetic field. In general, bacteria from the northern hemisphere swim towards the North Pole, while bacteria found in the southern hemisphere tend to swim towards south.
The habit to swim towards their respective geographic pole can be exploited to obtain new isolates of magnetotactic bacteria from the environment by using a simple magnet. A strategy we are using for finding our own magnetotactic strain from the Copenhagen environment to study.
The magnetic properties of the magnetosome make them a nice tool whose possible applications are various and only limited by imagination. Magnetosomes differ greatly in size, depending on which bacterial strain they are coming from, accordingly their magnetic properties vary a lot and can match various needs. Additionally, the clean and uniform shape of the crystals produced by the bacteria is still unreached by chemically synthesized nanocrystals.
