Investigation of the magnetosome biomineralization in magnetotactic bacteria using graphene liquid cell - transmission electron microscopy. 2019

Emre Firlar, and Meagan Ouy, and Agata Bogdanowicz, and Leigha Covnot, and Boao Song, and Yash Nadkarni, and Reza Shahbazian-Yassar, and Tolou Shokuhfar
University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Bioengineering, Chicago, IL 60607, USA. efirlar@gmail.com.

Understanding the biomineralization pathways in living biological species is a grand challenge owing to the difficulties in monitoring the mineralization process at sub-nanometer scales. Here, we monitored the nucleation and growth of magnetosome nanoparticles in bacteria and in real time using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). To enable biomineralization within the bacteria, we subcultured magnetotactic bacteria grown in iron-depleted medium and then mixed them with iron-rich medium within graphene liquid cells (GLCs) right before imaging the bacteria under the microscope. Using in situ electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), the oxidation state of iron in the biomineralized magnetosome was analysed to be magnetite with trace amount of hematite. The increase of mass density of biomineralized magnetosomes as a function of incubation time indicated that the bacteria maintained their functionality during the in situ TEM imaging. Our results underpin that GLCs enables a new platform to observe biomineralization events in living biological species at unprecedented spatial resolution. Understanding the biomineralization processes in living organisms facilitates the design of biomimetic materials, and will enable a paradigm shift in understanding the evolution of biological species.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007501 Iron A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN. Iron-56,Iron 56
D003470 Culture Media Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN. Media, Culture
D005290 Ferric Compounds Inorganic or organic compounds containing trivalent iron. Compounds, Ferric
D006108 Graphite An allotropic form of carbon that is used in pencils, as a lubricant, and in matches and explosives. It is obtained by mining and its dust can cause lung irritation. Graphene
D000077320 Biomineralization Process by which living organisms produce MINERALS that accumulate into hardened tissues (e.g., bones, teeth and shells), and cellular nanostructures that sequester away into macromolecules. Biosynthesized minerals include CALCIUM CARBONATE; FLUOROAPATITE; HYDROXYAPATITE; and MAGNETITE. Biocrystallization,Bioprecipitation,Biocrystallizations,Biomineralizations,Bioprecipitations
D042201 Magnetospirillum A genus of microaerophilic, gram-negative bacteria that forms crystals of the mineral magnetite in special organelles called MAGNETOSOMES.
D046529 Microscopy, Electron, Transmission Electron microscopy in which the ELECTRONS or their reaction products that pass down through the specimen are imaged below the plane of the specimen. Electron Diffraction Microscopy,Electron Microscopy, Transmission,Microscopy, Electron Diffraction,Transmission Electron Microscopy,Diffraction Microscopy, Electron,Microscopy, Transmission Electron
D046590 Spectroscopy, Electron Energy-Loss A technique for analysis of the chemical composition of molecules. A substance is bombarded with monochromatic ELECTRONS. Some of the electrons passing through the specimen will lose energy when they ionize inner shell electrons of the atoms in the specimen. The energy loss is element dependent. Analysis of the energy loss spectrum reveals the elemental composition of a specimen. ENERGY-FILTERED TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY is a type of electron energy loss spectroscopy carried out in electron microscopes specially outfitted to analyze the spectrum of electron energy loss. Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy,Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy,Energy-Loss Spectroscopy, Electron,Spectroscopy, Electron Energy Loss
D052203 Ferrosoferric Oxide Iron (II,III) oxide (Fe3O4). It is a black ore of IRON that forms opaque crystals and exerts strong magnetism. Ferumoxytol,Feraheme,Ferriferrous Oxide,Magnetite,Oxide, Ferriferrous,Oxide, Ferrosoferric
D053758 Nanoparticles Nanometer-sized particles that are nanoscale in three dimensions. They include nanocrystaline materials; NANOCAPSULES; METAL NANOPARTICLES; DENDRIMERS, and QUANTUM DOTS. The uses of nanoparticles include DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS and cancer targeting and imaging. Nanocrystalline Materials,Nanocrystals,Material, Nanocrystalline,Materials, Nanocrystalline,Nanocrystal,Nanocrystalline Material,Nanoparticle

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