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Updated: May 7, 2026

Synthesis of Cationized Magnetoferritin for Ultra-fast Magnetization of Cells
Published on: December 13, 2016
Structural insight into magnetochrome-mediated magnetite biomineralization
Marina I Siponen1, Pierre Legrand, Marc Widdrat
11] Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Direction des Sciences du Vivant, Institut de Biologie Environnementale et de Biotechnologies,, F-13108, France [2] Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche Biologie Végétale et Microbiologie Environnementales, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, F-13108, France [3] Aix-Marseille Université, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, F-13108, France.
Magnetotactic bacteria use magnetosomes for magnetic alignment. Researchers discovered the MamP protein
Area of Science:
- Biomineralization
- Microbiology
- Structural Biology
Background:
- Magnetotactic bacteria utilize magnetosomes for cellular magnetic alignment.
- Magnetosomes are composed of magnetite or greigite crystals.
- The biological control over iron(II) and iron(III) ratios for magnetosome formation is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the structure and function of the magnetosome-associated protein MamP.
- To understand the molecular mechanisms controlling iron ratios in magnetosomes.
Main Methods:
- X-ray crystallography to determine MamP structure.
- Mutational analysis of MamP.
- Enzyme kinetics assays.
- In vitro MamP-assisted magnetite production assays.
Main Results:
- MamP possesses a unique structure with a PDZ domain fused to two magnetochrome domains, classifying it as a novel c-type cytochrome.
- MamP functions as an iron oxidase, facilitating the production of iron(III) ferrihydrite.
- This process is crucial for magnetite crystal development within magnetosomes.
Conclusions:
- MamP plays a key role in managing iron levels within magnetosomes.
- The magnetochrome domain is essential for iron biomineralization in magnetotactic bacteria.
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