<p>The magnetosome is an organelle specialized for inorganic magnetite crystal synthesis in magnetotactic bacteria. The complex mechanism of magnetosome formation is regulated by magnetosome proteins in a stepwise manner. Protein localization is a key step for magnetosome development; however, a global study of magnetosome protein localization remains to be conducted. Here, we comparatively analyzed the subcellular localization of a series of GFP tagged magnetosome proteins. The protein localizations were categorized into 5 groups (short-length linear, middle-length linear, long-length linear, cell membrane, and intracellular dispersing), which were related to the protein functions. Mms6, which regulates magnetite crystal growth, localized along magnetosome chain structures under magnetite-forming (microaerobic) conditions, but was dispersed in the cell under non-forming (aerobic) conditions. Correlative fluorescence and electron microscopy analyses revealed that Mms6 preferentially localized to magnetosomes enclosing magnetite crystals. We suggest that a highly organized spatial-regulation mechanism controls magnetosome protein localization during magnetosome formation in magnetotactic bacteria.</p>
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