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Updated: May 10, 2026

Growing Magnetotactic Bacteria of the Genus Magnetospirillum: Strains MSR-1, AMB-1 and MS-1

Growing Magnetotactic Bacteria of the Genus Magnetospirillum: Strains MSR-1, AMB-1 and MS-1

Published on: October 17, 2018

Multicellular photo-magnetotactic bacteria.

Orr H Shapiro¹, Roland Hatzenpichler, Daniel H Buckley

¹Microbial Diversity Course, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva 84105, Israel Department of Microbial Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, A-1090, AustriaDepartments of Crop and Soil Sciences Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.

Environmental Microbiology Reports

|June 14, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

South-seeking multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB) from the Northern Hemisphere were discovered. These MMB exhibit photo-magnetotaxis, reversing their magnetic orientation in response to light.

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Purification of the M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 Magnetosome Associated Protein MamAΔ41

Published on: March 25, 2010

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Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Growing Magnetotactic Bacteria of the Genus Magnetospirillum: Strains MSR-1, AMB-1 and MS-1

Growing Magnetotactic Bacteria of the Genus Magnetospirillum: Strains MSR-1, AMB-1 and MS-1

Published on: October 17, 2018

Collection, Isolation and Enrichment of Naturally Occurring Magnetotactic Bacteria from the Environment

Collection, Isolation and Enrichment of Naturally Occurring Magnetotactic Bacteria from the Environment

Published on: November 15, 2012

Purification of the M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 Magnetosome Associated Protein MamAΔ41

Purification of the M. magneticum Strain AMB-1 Magnetosome Associated Protein MamAΔ41

Published on: March 25, 2010

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biophysics

Background:

Multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB) are unique microbial aggregates with no known unicellular stage.
MMB division involves the separation of an aggregate into two offspring.

Purpose of the Study:

To enrich and characterize South-seeking MMB (ssMMB) from a New England salt marsh.
To investigate the photo-magnetic responses of ssMMB.

Main Methods:

Enrichment of ssMMB from salt marsh sediments.
Observation of magnetotactic behavior under varying light conditions (wavelength, intensity).

Main Results:

First report of Northern Hemisphere MMB exhibiting South-seeking behavior.
Demonstration of photo-magnetotaxis: ssMMB reversed to North-seeking behavior upon light exposure.
Light exposure time for reversal varied with wavelength and intensity; extensive exposure was lethal.

Conclusions:

Photo-magnetotaxis in ssMMB may optimize positioning relative to chemical gradients and light.
A model is proposed to explain the balance between photo- and magnetotaxis in these organisms.