Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of lipid granules in the many-celled magnetotactic prokaryote, ‘Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis’

Multicellular magnetotactic bacterial consortia are metabolically differentiated and not clonal

Consortia of multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB) are currently the only known example of bacteria without a unicellular stage in their life cycle. Because of their recalcitrance to cultivation, most previous studies of MMB have been limited to microscopic observations. To study the biology of these unique organisms in more detail, we use multiple culture-independent approaches to analyze the genomics and physiology of MMB consortia at single cell resolution. We separately sequenced the metagenomes of 22 individual MMB consortia, representing eight new species, and quantified the genetic diversity within each MMB consortium. This revealed that, counter to conventional views, cells within MMB consortia are not clonal. Single consortia metagenomes were then used to reconstruct the species-specific metabolic potential and infer the physiological capabilities of MMB. To validate genomic predictions, we performed stable isotope probing (SIP) experiments and interrogated MMB consortia using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) combined with nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). By coupling FISH with bioorthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) we explored their in situ activity as well as variation of protein synthesis within cells. We demonstrate that MMB consortia are mixotrophic sulfate reducers and that they exhibit metabolic differentiation between individual cells, suggesting that MMB consortia are more complex than previously thought. These findings expand our understanding of MMB diversity, ecology, genomics, and physiology, as well as offer insights into the mechanisms underpinning the multicellular nature of their unique lifestyle.

Effect of oxic and anoxic conditions on intracellular storage of polyhydroxyalkanoate and polyphosphate in Magnetospirillum magneticum strain AMB-1

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are microorganisms widely inhabiting the oxic-anoxic interface of aquatic environments. Beside biomineralizing magnetic nanocrystals, MTBs are able to sequester various chemical elements (e.g., carbon and phosphorus) for the biogenesis of intracellular granules, like polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polyphosphate (polyP), making them potentially important in biogeochemical cycling. Yet, the environmental controls of intracellular storage of carbon and phosphorus in MTB remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the influence of oxic, anoxic and transient oxic-anoxic conditions on intracellular storage of PHA and polyP in Magnetospirillum magneticum strain AMB-1. In the incubations with oxygen, transmission electron microscopy revealed intercellular granules highly rich in carbon and phosphorus, which were further interpreted as PHA and polyP based on chemical and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. Oxygen had a strong effect on PHA and polyP storage in AMB-1 cells, as PHA and polyP granules accounted for up to 47 ± 23% and 5.1 ± 1.7% of the cytoplasmic space, respectively, during continuous oxic conditions, while granules disappeared in anoxic incubations. Poly 3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly 3-hydroxyvalerate (PHV) accounted for 0.59 ± 0.66% and 0.0033 ± 0.0088% of dry cell weight, respectively, in anoxic incubations, while the values increased by a factor of 7 and 37 after oxygen was introduced. The results highlight a tight link between oxygen, carbon and phosphorus metabolisms in MTB, where favorable oxic growth conditions can lead to metabolic induction of polyP and PHA granule biogenesis.

Bacterial magnetosome and its potential application

Bacterial magnetosome, synthetized by magnetosome-producing microorganisms including magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) and some non-magnetotactic bacteria (Non-MTB), is a new type of material comprising magnetic nanocrystals surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer. Because of the special properties such as single magnetic domain, excellent biocompatibility and surface modification, bacterial magnetosome has become an increasingly attractive for researchers in biology, medicine, paleomagnetism, geology and environmental science. This review briefly describes the general feature of magnetosome-producing microorganisms. This article also highlights recent advances in the understanding of the biochemical and magnetic characteristics of bacterial magnetosome, as well as the magnetosome formation mechanism including iron ions uptake, magnetosome membrane formation, biomineralization and magnetosome chain assembly. Finally, this review presents the potential applications of bacterial magnetosome in biomedicine, wastewater treatment, and the significance of mineralization of magnetosome in biology and geology.

Changes of cell growth and magnetosome biomineralization in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 after ultraviolet-B irradiation

Effects of ultraviolet radiation on microorganisms are of great interest in field of microbiology and planetary sciences. In the present study, we used Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 as a model organism to examine the influence of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation on cell growth and magnetite biomineralization of magnetotactic bacteria (MTB). Live AMB-1 cells were exposed to UV-B radiation for 60, 300 and 900 s, which correspond to radiation doses of 120 J/m², 600 J/m², and 1800 J/m², respectively. After irradiation, the amounts of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) of the cells were increased, and cell growth was stunted up to ~170 h, depending on the UV-B radiation doses. The UV-B irradiated cells also produced on average more magnetite crystals with larger grain sizes and longer chains, which results in changes of their magnetic properties.

Deciphering unusual uncultured magnetotactic multicellular prokaryotes through genomics

Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis (Ca. M. multicellularis) is a member of a group of uncultured magnetotactic prokaryotes that possesses a unique multicellular morphology. To better understand this organism's physiology, we used a genomic approach through pyrosequencing. Genomic data analysis corroborates previous structural studies and reveals the proteins that are likely involved in multicellular morphogenesis of this microorganism. Interestingly, some detected protein sequences that might be involved in cell adhesion are homologues to phylogenetically unrelated filamentous multicellular bacteria proteins, suggesting their contribution in the early development of multicellular organization in Bacteria. Genes related to the behavior of Ca. M. multicellularis (chemo-, photo- and magnetotaxis) and its metabolic capabilities were analyzed. On the basis of the genomic-physiologic information, enrichment media were tested. One medium supported chemoorganoheterotrophic growth of Ca. M. multicellularis and allowed the microorganisms to maintain their multicellular morphology and cell cycle, confirming for the first time that the entire life cycle of the MMP occurs in a multicellular form. Because Ca. M. multicellularis has a unique multicellular life style, its cultivation is an important achievement for further studies regarding the multicellular evolution in prokaryotes.

Clone libraries and single cell genome amplification reveal extended diversity of uncultivated magnetotactic bacteria from marine and freshwater environments

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), which orient along the earth's magnetic field using magnetosomes, are ubiquitous and abundant in marine and freshwater environments. Previous phylogenetic analysis of diverse MTB has been limited to few cultured species and the most abundant and conspicuous members of natural populations, which were assigned to various lineages of the Proteobacteria, the Nitrospirae phylum as well as the candidate division OP3. However, their known phylogenetic diversity still not matches the large morphological and ultrastructural variability of uncultured MTB found in environmental communities. Here, we used analysis of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries in combination with microsorting and whole-genome amplification to systematically address the entire diversity of uncultured MTB from two different habitats. This approach revealed extensive and novel diversity of MTB within the freshwater and marine sediment samples. In total, single-cell analysis identified eight different phylotypes, which were only partly represented in the clone libraries, and which could be unambiguously assigned to their respective morphotypes. Identified MTB belonged to the Alphaproteobacteria (seven species) and the Nitrospirae phylum (two species). End-sequencing of a small insert library created from WGA-derived DNA of a novel conspicuous magnetotactic vibrio identified genes with highest similarity to two cultivated MTB as well as to other phylogenetic groups. In conclusion, the combination of metagenomic cloning and single cell sorting represents a powerful approach to recover maximum bacterial diversity including low-abundant magnetotactic phylotypes from environmental samples and also provides access to genomic analysis of uncultivated MTB.

Multicellular photo-magnetotactic bacteria

Multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (MMB) are unique microorganisms typically comprised of 10-40 bacterial cells arranged around a central acellular compartment. Their life cycle has no known unicellular stage and division occurs by separation of a single MMB aggregate into two identical offspring. In this study, South-seeking multicellular magnetotactic bacteria (ssMMB) were enriched from a New England salt marsh. When exposed to light, ssMMB reversed their magnetotactic behaviour to become North-seeking. The exposure time needed to generate the reversal response varied with light wavelength and intensity. Extensive exposure to light appeared to be lethal. This is the first report of a Northern hemisphere MMB displaying South-seeking behaviour and the first time a MMB is found to exhibit photo-magnetotaxis. We suggest that this mechanism enables ssMMB to optimize their location with regard to chemical gradients and light intensities, and propose a model to explain the peculiar balance between photo- and magnetotaxis.

Isolation and characterization of a magnetotactic bacterial culture from the Mediterranean Sea

The widespread magnetotactic bacteria have the peculiar capacity of navigation along the geomagnetic field. Despite their ubiquitous distribution, only few axenic cultures have been obtained worldwide. In this study, we reported the first axenic culture of magnetotactic bacteria isolated from the Mediterranean Sea. This magneto-ovoid strain MO-1 grew in chemically defined O(2) gradient minimal media at the oxic-anoxic transition zone. It is phylogenetically related to Magnetococcus sp. MC-1 but might represent a novel genus of Proteobacteria. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that the genome size of the MO-1 strain is 5 ± 0.5 Mb, with four rRNA operons. Each cell synthesizes about 17 magnetosomes within a single chain, two phosphorous-oxygen-rich globules and one to seven lipid storage granules. The magnetosomes chain seems to divide in the centre during cell division giving rise to two daughter cells with an approximately equal number of magnetosomes. The MO-1 cell possesses two bundles of seven individual flagella that were enveloped in a unique sheath. They swam towards the north pole with a velocity up to 300 μm per second with frequent change from right-hand to left-hand helical trajectory. Using a magneto-spectrophotometry assay we showed that MO-1 flagella were powered by both proton-motive force and sodium ion gradient, which is a rare feature among bacteria.