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Diverse Applications of Magnetotactic Bacteria

Clark, Kylienne Annette
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397571008

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) compose a group of diverse, motile prokaryotes that have the ability to passively align themselves along Earth’s geomagnetic field due to the presence of intracellular organelles called magnetosomes. These unique organelles house nanometer-sized, membrane-enclosed, magnetic iron crystals of magnetite (Fe3O4), or less commonly, greigite (Fe3S4) that aid the bacteria in locating growth favorable conditions at or just below the oxic-anoxic transition zone of aquatic sediments. With implications in various fields, including evolutionary biology, biogeochemistry, and nanotechnology, research on MTB and their magnetosomes has steadily increased since they were described by Richard Blakemore in 1975. The extraordinary diversity and unique features of MTB directly translate to educational topics that can be applied to Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) requirements within the classroom. The development of a distributable introductory microbiology kit, focused on magnetotactic bacteria, would make the study of MTB and related STEM subjects attainable for secondary school and even primary school aged students. Such a kit would include all the required sterile materials and specific, illustrated instructions for the culturing of magnetotactic species Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1, the isolation of MTB from the environment, and observing MTB samples with light microscopy. Magnetotactic bacteria have advantage over other microorganism in that they are non-pathogenic, motile, relatively easy to isolate from the environment, highly interactive, and yield seamless transitions to countless other STEM dimensions. These qualities are important in providing the flexibility essential for teachers who are required to cover a variety of core curriculum topics, as well as for engaging the wondering minds of students within this age group. It is the objective of such a kit to provide a positive experience with microbiology that will eventually inspire students to pursue an advanced degree within this vital field and other STEM fields related to it. There are several research endeavors that require the ability to insert foreign DNA into magnetotactic bacteria. While a number of techniques have been developed to transform prokaryotic cells (i.e., targeted conjugation, bulk electroporation, heat shock methods, etc.) limited success has resulted when they are applied to MTB. An emerging method, nanochannel electroporation (NEP), has successfully been tested on mammalian, yeast, and bacterial cells but has not, until now, been used to transform MTB. NEP minimizes cell trauma by reducing the cell membrane area needing to be affected and controlling the dose of potentially toxic agents delivered to individual cells; both of which are cited challenges within traditional transformation methods. This research has demonstrated the capability and effectiveness of NEP to inject foreign molecules (PI dye) into magnetotactic bacteria. The next step is to use this technique to insert foreign DNA (i.e., a plasmid) into MTB. Initial studies conducted by this laboratory using M. magneticum AMB-1 and a plasmid (pAmCyan) have thus far been inconclusive. More studies need to be conducted in order to produce a competent culture of AMB-1 that can take up the pAmCyan plasmid. Doing so will expand the application of both NEP and MTB in nanotechnologies.
Brian Lower (Advisor)
Steven Lower (Committee Member)
Brian Slater (Committee Member)
110 p.
Education; Environmental Science; Genetics; Microbiology; Nanotechnology; Science Education; Secondary Education
magnetotactic bacteria; MTB; nanochannel electroporation; NEP; nanofluidics; magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1; STEM education; science education; microbiology; origin of life; environmental isolation; nanolithography; genetic engineering; magnetosensing

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Clark, K. A. (2014). Diverse Applications of Magnetotactic Bacteria [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397571008

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Clark, Kylienne. Diverse Applications of Magnetotactic Bacteria. 2014. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397571008.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Clark, Kylienne. "Diverse Applications of Magnetotactic Bacteria." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1397571008

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.