BESSY II sheds light on how the internal compass is constructed in magnetotactic bacteria

(Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin f ü r Materialien und Energie) Bacteria exist in many shapes and with very different talents. Magnetotactic bacteria can even sense the earth's magnetic field by making use of magnetic nanoparticles in their interior that act as an internal compass. Spanish teams and experts at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have now examined the magnetic compass of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense at BESSY II. Their results may be helpful in designing actuation devices for nanorobots and nanosensors for biomedical applications.
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - Category: Biology Source Type: news