Polymerization of the actin-like protein MamK, which is associated with magnetosomes

The recombinant actin-like protein MamK was purified from Escherichia coli and used as an antigen to generate the anti-MamK antibody. Immunostaining studies showed a linear distribution of MamK in Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum cells and of MamK in association with magnetosomes. Moreover, we demonstrated that MamK polymerizes into filamentous bundles in vitro.