Magnetosomes from dead MTB could be preserved in sediments (called fossil magnetosomes or magnetofossils). Under certain conditions, magnetofossils are capable of retaining their remanence for millions of years. Studies of the diversity of MTB can help unravel the microbial activity of the early Earth.
At the same time, the high biocompatibility of magnetosomes makes possible their potential use in biomedical applications. A good example is magnetic resonance imaging. In this approach, MTB can be used to create bacterial or hybrid medical nanorobots that can controllably move through the human circulatory system. Another nice example is that magnetosomes with an artificially modified membrane are able to selectively bind to monoclonal antibodies and can be used for magnetic separation of cells. MTB could be used in magnetically guided drug delivery and tumor cell inhibition.
But the vast majority of known MTB are uncultivated.New methods such as reconstructing bacterial genomes from metagenomic data allow us to learn a lot about these curious microorganisms. SciBear team is always happy to help you make metagenomic and genomic analysis for your next breathtaking research!
Gareev, Kamil G., et al. "Magnetotactic Bacteria and Magnetosomes: Basic Properties and Applications." Magnetochemistry 7.6 (2021): 86.