Magnetosome production and functionalization

Magnetotactic bacteria produce magnetic particles, which enable them to migrate along the magnetic field lines in the environment they live in. The magnetic particles called magnetosomes are nanometer sized lipid bilayer encased uniform crystals of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄). Their magnetic properties make them potentially useful in many biomedical and technological applications, such as drug delivery, magnetic resonance imaging, immunoassay and magnetic markers. Making them an alternative to chemically synthesized magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1 as a model organism used to produce magnetosmes and is known to require a low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and iron during cultivation for magnetosome production. However, the relationship between these parameters and fermentation behavior is not well understood.

We will present a study where we investigate how the addition of iron impacts the physiology of the MSR-1 cells and the expression of key genes involved in the production of mangetosomes.

Furthermore, utilization of magnetosomes for applications as immunoassays requires the functionalization of the magnetsomes. Functionalization of the magnetosomes is achieved by attaching functional moieties to the magnetosome. We will present the work of functionalizing the magnetosomes for immunoassay by expressing IgG binding domains on the surface of magnetosomes.