Flexible ferromagnetic laments and the interface with biology

Flexible ferromagnetic filaments are studied both theoretically and experimentally. Two main deformation modes of the. lament at magnetic field inversion are theoretically described and observed experimentally by using DNA-linked chains of ferromagnetic particles. Anomalous orientation of ferromagnetic. laments perpendicular to AC field with a frequency which is high enough is predicted and confirmed experimentally. By experimental studies of magnetotactic bacteria it is demonstrated how these properties of ferromagnetic. laments may be used to measure the flexibility of the chain of magnetosomes. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.