''Magnetobacterium bavaricum'' is a species of bacterium.

Morphology and physiology

''Magnetobacterium bavaricum'' is a large rod shaped

gram negative The gram (originally gramme; SI unit symbol g) is a unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI) equal to one one thousandth of a kilogram. Originally defined as of 1795 as "the absolute weight of a volume of pure water equal to th ...

microorganism A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...

that ranges from 8um-10um in length and 1.5um-2um in width. These microorganisms are motile by a single polar flagella and orient themselves by use of magnetotaxis. ''M. bavaricum'' were found to contain upwards of 1,000

magnetosomes Magnetosomes are membranous structures present in magnetotactic bacteria (MTB). They contain iron-rich magnetic particles that are enclosed within a lipid bilayer membrane. Each magnetosome can often contain 15 to 20 magnetite crystals that form a ...

per cell which is far more than required for cell orientation along the Earth's magnetic field and the execution of magnetotactic behaviors. These hook-shaped magnetite crystals arrange themselves in three to six bundles of multiple chains along the organism and create magnetic moments for the cell that allow polar

magnetotaxis Magnetotaxis is a process implemented by a diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria that involves orienting and coordinating movement in response to Earth's magnetic field. This process is mainly carried out by microaerophilic and anaerobic bacteria ...

while the cell propels itself forward via the singular flagella. These organisms are observed containing a range from zero-twenty intracellular globules containing elemental

sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

believed to aid in a sulfur oxidizing metabolism for energy production by providing an energy reservoir.

Habitat

This species has been found within

sediments Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. For example, sand a ...

of freshwater lakes in Upper

Bavaria, Germany Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

and is difficult to

culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...

due to being a gradient organism occupying microaerobic zoned environments also known as the OAI zone. Although this species has been identified within a small layer of sediment, it appears to account for approximately 30% of the biovolume in Lake

Chiemsee Chiemsee () is a freshwater lake in Bavaria, Germany, near Rosenheim. It is often called "the Bavarian Sea". The rivers Tiroler Achen and Prien flow into the lake from the south, and the river Alz flows out towards the north. The Alz flows in ...

surface sediments indicating it may be a dominant fraction of the microbial community found within this layer of sediment.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q14933727 Wikipedia Student Program Nitrospirota