Abstract
Bacteria with motility directed by the local geomagnetic field have been observed in marine sediments. These magnetotactic microorganisms possess flagella and contain novel structured particles, rich in iron, within intracytoplasmic membrane vesicles. Conceivably these particles impart to cells a magnetic moment. This could explain the observed migration of these organisms in fields as weak as 0.5 gauss.
Keywords
Magnetotactic bacteriaFlagellumEarth's magnetic fieldBacteriaVesicleMicroorganismMarine bacteriophageChemistryBiophysicsBiologyPhysicsMagnetic fieldMembraneBiochemistryPaleontology
MeSH Terms
BacteriaBacterial Physiological PhenomenaGravitationInclusion BodiesIronMagneticsSoil Microbiology
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1975
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 190
- Issue
- 4212
- Pages
- 377-379
- Citations
- 1658
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
Richard P. Blakemore
(1975).
Magnetotactic Bacteria.
Science
, 190
(4212)
, 377-379.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.170679
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1126/science.170679
- PMID
- 170679