Cellular Organization of RS-1

This video showcases the cellular strucutre ofDesulfovibrio magneticusRS-1.  This organism is highly divergent from AMB-1 and forms tooth-shaped crystals of magnetite.  In our study of its biomineralization dynamics we found that it differed from AMB-1 in a number of interesting ways.  Most importantly, it contained a second iron-containing organelle unrelated to magnetosomes and its magnetite crystals did not appear to be surrounded by a biological membrane. In this video, the results of an electron cryotomography study of RS-1 ultrasturcture are highlighted.  For more information see: Byrne et al. PNAS 2010.  Video by: Dr. David Ball and Professor Kenneth Downing.