High Diversity of Magnetotactic Deltaproteobacteria in a Freshwater Niche

Knowledge of the diversity of magnetotactic bacteria in natural environments is crucial for understanding their contribution to various biological and geological processes. Here we report a high diversity of magnetotactic bacteria in a freshwater site. Ten out of 18 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were affiliated with the Deltaproteobacteria. Some rod-shaped bacteria simultaneously synthesized greigite and magnetite magnetosomes.