Team:Hong Kong-CUHK/background

Overview of Magneto-bacter vinelandii:

Magnetosome, an organelle encapsulating magnetic iron crystal (magnetite), originates from magnetotactic bacteria. However, with the difficulty to maintain micro-aerobic condition under normal setting for optimal growth, we aim to produce magnetosome in a rapidly grown aerobe, Azotobacter vinelandii, which provides an intracellular anaerobic environment. Not limited in migrating biogenesis machinery to foreign organism, we also developed multiple new downstream applications:

(1) Fusing recognition elements with transmembrane protein tightly bound on magnetite Example includes metal-binding peptides for removing heavy metals from polluted water by biomagnets.

(2) Controlling Azotobacter by external magnetic force as a component in microbial fuel cell (MFC) We designed a system which release electron to anode by membrane-bound hydrogenase with overexpressed porin to increase rate of electron diffusion.

(3) Using the small size (30nm-120nm) of magnetosome as an advantage to facilitate the binding of proteins to antibodies, which were added artificially onto the transmembrane protein of magnetosome (mamC). In other words contributing to a higher binding efficiency in protein extraction.