Release the Iron: Does the Infection of Magnetotactic Bacteria by Phages Play a Role in Making Iron Available in Aquatic Environments?

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-19-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Oceanology and Limnology

Volume

39

Issue

6

First page number:

2063

Last page number:

2069

Abstract

Magnetotactic bacteria(MTB) are ubiquitous prokaryotes that orient along magnetic field lines due to magnetosomes’ biomineralization within the cell. These structures are ferrimagnetic organelles that impart a magnetic moment to the cell. To succeed in producing magnetosomes, MTB accumulate iron in(i) cytoplasm;(ii) magnetosomes; and(iii) nearby the organelle. It has already been estimated that a single MTB has an iron content of 10 to 100-fold higher than Escherichia coli. Phages are the most abundant entity in oceans and are known for controlling nutrient flow such as carbon and nitrogen by viral shunt and pump. The current work addresses the putative role of phages that infect MTB on the iron biogeochemical cycle. Can phage infection in MTB hosts cause a biogenic iron fertilization-like event in localized microenvironments? Are phages critical players in driving magnetosome biomineralization genes(BGs) horizontal transfer? Further investigation of those events, including frequency of occurrence, is necessary to fully comprehend MTB’s effect on iron cycling in aqueous environments.

Keywords

Horizontal gene transfer; Iron biogeochemical cycle; Magnetosome biomineralization genes; Magnetotactic bacteria; Phages

Disciplines

Bacteria | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

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