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Updated: Jul 25, 2026

Collection, Isolation and Enrichment of Naturally Occurring Magnetotactic Bacteria from the Environment
Published on: November 15, 2012
Magnetic microstructure of magnetotactic bacteria by electron holography
Dunin-Borkowski1, McCartney, Frankel
1R. E. Dunin-Borkowski and M. R. McCartney, Center for Solid State Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1704, USA. R. B. Frankel, Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA. D.
Abstract:
Off-axis electron holography in the transmission electron microscope was used to correlate the physical and magnetic microstructure of magnetite nanocrystals in magnetotactic bacteria. The magnetite crystals were all single magnetic domains, and the magnetization directions of small superparamagnetic crystals were constrained by magnetic interactions with larger crystals in the chains. Shape anisotropy was found to dominate magnetocrystalline anisotropy in elongated crystals. A coercive field between 300 and 450 oersted was determined for one chain.
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