An Integrated Approach to Elucidate the Interplay between Iron Uptake Dynamics and Magnetosome Formation at the Single-Cell Level in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense

Iron is a crucial element integral to various fundamental biological molecular mechanisms, including magnetosome biogenesis in magnetotactic bacteria (MTB). Magnetosomes are formed through the internalization and biomineralization of iron into magnetite crystals. However, the interconnected mechanisms by which MTB uptake and regulate intracellular iron for magnetosome biomineralization remain poorly understood, particularly at the single-cell level. To gain insights we employed a holistic multiscale approach, i.e., from elemental iron species to bacterial populations, to elucidate the interplay between iron uptake dynamics and magnetosome formation in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1 under near-native conditions. We combined a correlative microscopy approach integrating light and X-ray tomography with analytical techniques, such as flow cytometry and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, to evaluate the effects of iron and oxygen availability on cellular growth, magnetosome biogenesis, and intracellular iron pool in MSR-1. Our results revealed that increased iron availability under microaerobic conditions significantly promoted the formation of longer magnetosome chains and increased intracellular iron uptake, with a saturation point at 300 μM iron citrate. Beyond this threshold, additional iron did not further extend the magnetosome chain length or increase total intracellular iron levels. Moreover, our work reveals (i) a direct correlation between the labile Fe²⁺ pool size and magnetosome content, with higher intracellular iron concentrations correlating with increased magnetosome production, and (ii) the existence of an intracellular iron pool, distinct from magnetite, persisting during all stages of biomineralization. This study offers insights into iron dynamics in magnetosome biomineralization at a single-cell level, potentially enhancing the industrial biomanufacturing of magnetosomes.