Exploring the host range for genetic transfer of magnetic organelle biosynthesis

Magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria have great potential for application in biotechnology and medicine due to their unique physicochemical properties and high biocompatibility. Recent studies uncovered the genetic determinants for magnetosome formation and inspired ideas to transfer the pathway into hitherto non-magnetic organisms. However, previous efforts to genetically magnetize other species have been successful in only a few bacterial recipients, revealing significant challenges in this strategy. In our study, by systematic examination of 25 proteobacterial hosts, we generated 7 novel magnetosome-producing strains. We further characterize the recombinant magnetosomes produced by these strains and delineate a set of auxiliary factors linked to magnetosome formation. Here, we release the genome sequencing results of the transgenic strains with the successfully integrated magnetosome gene clusters.