Distribution of magnetotactic bacteria in China and characterization of magnetosomes

Magnetotactic bacteria (MB), first discovered by Blakemore in 1975, have been con-stantly found in ponds, rivers, marine and damp grasslands. They all appear to beGram-negative (G~-), polar or tuft flagella, microaerophilic and morphologically diverse(coccus, bacillus, spirillum and vibrio) . In the northern hemisphere, these bacteriaorient northward and will swim towards the geomagnetic south pole. The reverse istrue of those in the southern hemisphere. At the geomagnetic equator, both southward