Magnetotactic Bacteria and their Application in Medicine

Abstract

It is a known fact how the magnetic field of the Earth is very important for life. Relation between living systems and the earth magnetic field has been investigated for many years. Birds and their migration routes are the first one of the things that comes to mind when we state living things. The Earth’s magnetic field is still accepted to be the main factor for birds and other flying living beings to complete their travels correctly. The changes in migration routes, which are observed from time to time, are sometimes said to be due to the changes in the magnetic field. However, no light has been shed to this matter yet.\rThe Earth’s magnetic field has not been sufficiently studied, and its role on small living models such as bacteria has not been adequately discussed. One of the best examples in this field is relation between the Earth’s magnetic field and “magnetotactic bacteria (MTB)”, which were discovered by Salvatore Bellini in 1963. Currently, it is claimed that magnetotactic bacteria have a widespread use in microbiology, mineralogy, limnology, physics, biophysics, chemistry, biochemistry, geology, crystallography, and astrobiology. Although the importance of this issue magnetic bacteria is still limitedly used in medical area. Therefore more performance is necessary to explore world of this bacteria that is candidate for new therapy strategies in the medical field. Because of the reason stated here and to attract the attention of scientists to this topic this short review has been prepared.