Studies on a freshwater magnetotactic coccus

We report a previously undescribed magnetic coccus, designated NMC-1, that was present in surface sediments collected from the pool in Nanjing suburbs . They orientated and navigated along geomagnetic field lines. Transmission electron microscope photographs showed that the NMC-1 contained over ten m agnetosomes. The individual mature crystal was 70 nm in length and 40 nm in width, which were within the calculated stability field for single-domain magnetite. The energy profile of X-rays was collected after electron excita tion of the magnetosomes within a single cell. Iron was the predominant det ectable element in the particles. Electron diffraction pattern indicated th e magnetosomes are single crystals.