Magnetococcus marinus

Magnetococcus marinus
Scientific classification
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M. marinus
Binomial name
Magnetococcus marinus
Bazylinski et al. 2013

Magnetococcus marinus is a species of Alphaproteobacteria that has the peculiar ability to form a structure called a magnetosome, a membrane-encased, single-magnetic-domain mineral crystal formed by biomineralisation, which allows the cells to orient along the Earth’s geomagnetic field. The Magnetococcus marinus grows chemolithoautotrophically with thiosulfate and chemoorganoheterotrophically on acetate.

It is a basal group in the Alphaproteobacteria.