Rhodospirillaceae
Encyclopedia
The Rhodospirillaceae are a family of Proteobacteria
. The majority are purple non-sulfur bacteria
, producing energy through photosynthesis
; originally all purple non-sulfur bacteria were included here. They are often found in anaerobic aquatic environments, such as mud
and stagnant water, although they are able to survive in air.
This family also includes Magnetospirillum
, which contains tiny chains of magnetite
. These let it sense the Earth's magnetic field
, which runs downwards as well as north or south, to return to the bottom of a pond (magnetotaxis
). Similar magnetite chains found in Martian
meteorite
s have been suggested as evidence of life on Mars.
Proteobacteria
The Proteobacteria are a major group of bacteria. They include a wide variety of pathogens, such as Escherichia, Salmonella, Vibrio, Helicobacter, and many other notable genera....
. The majority are purple non-sulfur bacteria
Purple bacteria
Purple bacteria or purple photosynthetic bacteria are proteobacteria that are phototrophic, that is capable of producing energy through photosynthesis...
, producing energy through photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
; originally all purple non-sulfur bacteria were included here. They are often found in anaerobic aquatic environments, such as mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
and stagnant water, although they are able to survive in air.
This family also includes Magnetospirillum
Magnetospirillum
Magnetospirillum is a Gram-negative, microaerophilic genus of magnetotactic bacterium, first isolated from pond water by the microbiologist R. P. Blakemore in 1975. It is characterized by a spirillar, or helical, morphology. It is also a motile bacterium owing to the presence of a polar flagellum...
, which contains tiny chains of magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
. These let it sense the Earth's magnetic field
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
, which runs downwards as well as north or south, to return to the bottom of a pond (magnetotaxis
Magnetotaxis
Logically, magnetotaxis describes an ability to sense a magnetic field and coordinate movement in response. It was applied to the behavior of certain motile, aquatic bacteria in 1975 by R. P. Blakemore....
). Similar magnetite chains found in Martian
Martian
As an adjective, the term martian is used to describe anything pertaining to the planet Mars.However, a Martian is more usually a hypothetical or fictional native inhabitant of the planet Mars. Historically, life on Mars has often been hypothesized, although there is currently no solid evidence of...
meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
s have been suggested as evidence of life on Mars.