title: Control of magnetite nanocrystal morphology in magnetotactic bacteria by regulation of mms7 gene expression.
abstract: Living organisms can produce inorganic materials with unique structure and properties. The biomineralization process is of great interest as it forms a source of inspiration for the development of methods for production of diverse inorganic materials under mild conditions. Nonetheless, regulation of biomineralization is still a challenging task. Magnetotactic bacteria produce chains of a prokaryotic organelle comprising a membrane-enveloped single-crystal magnetite with species-specific morphology. Here, we describe regulation of magnetite biomineralization through controlled expression of the mms7 gene, which plays key roles in the control of crystal growth and morphology of magnetite crystals in magnetotactic bacteria. Regulation of the expression level of Mms7 in bacterial cells enables switching of the crystal shape from dumbbell-like to spherical. The successful regulation of magnetite biomineralization opens the door to production of magnetite nanocrystals of desired size and morphology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology and Life Science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology and Life Science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan.|Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Materials and Interface Chemistry and TU/e Center of Multiscale Electron Microscopy, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.|Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jos J M
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lenders
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Materials and Interface Chemistry and TU/e Center of Multiscale Electron Microscopy, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jarla
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thiesbrummel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Materials and Interface Chemistry and TU/e Center of Multiscale Electron Microscopy, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.|Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nico A J M
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sommerdijk
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology and Life Science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology and Life Science, Institute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arakaki
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D055944:Magnetosomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D042201:Magnetospirillum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008903:Minerals; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide