Three-dimensional reconstruction of Magnetofaba australis strain IT-1: Magnetosome chain position with respect to flagella

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a broad and diverse group of Gram-negative prokaryotes that biomineralize magnetosomes, organelles composed of a magnetic nanocrystal of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄) and enveloped by a biological membrane. Magnetosomes are arranged in one or more chains intracellularly, which impart a magnetic moment to the cell. These structures permit a passive orientation of the MTB with the geomagnetic field lines (GML), which, when associated with swimming propelled by flagella, originate a phenomenon called magneto-aerotaxis, an important life strategy in a chemical stratified environment. There is a classical model based on elongated cells as vibrios and rods that tries to explain the magneto-aerotaxis. Still, this model raises questions when applied to other morphologies other than elongated cells. Here, we observe the spatial disposition of magnetosomes, motility behavior, and influence of magneto-aerotaxis in Magnetofaba australis strain IT-1, an MTB that achieves high swimming speeds and has some peculiarity in its motility. The three-dimensional reconstruction showed that Mf. australis strain IT-1′s magnetosome chain is misaligned with the swimming axis, which makes it impossible to use the classical model to explain magneto-aerotaxis in this MTB. Despite this, Mf. australis strain IT-1 was capable of swimming aligned to the GML. Also, this work studied the influence of the magnetosome and magneto-aerotaxis between populations of Mf. australis strain IT-1 with and without magnetosomes. Our results indicated that the magnetosome presence not only positively influences the movement in Mf. australis strain IT-1 but also can positively impact population growth in these MTB.