Imaging biomineralizing bacteria in the native-state with X-ray fluorescence microscopy

DOI: 10.1039/D4SC08375J

Authors: Daniel M. Chevrier (Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, CEA; Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces) , Elisa Cerda-Donate (Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces) , Lucia Gandarias (Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, CEA; Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU)) , Miguel A. Gomez Gonzalez (Diamond Light Source) , Sufal Swaraj (SOLEIL Synchrotron) , Paul E. D. Soto Rodriguez (Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, CEA; Universidad de La Laguna) , Antoine Fraisse (Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, CEA) , Tom Robinson (Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces; University of Edinburgh) , Damien Faivre (Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, CEA; Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Chemical Science

State: Published (Approved)
Published: March 2025
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 28688

Abstract: Understanding the interactions between metal-based nanoparticles and biological systems in complex environments (e.g., the human body, soils, and marine settings) remains challenging, especially at the single-cell and nanoscale levels. Capturing the dynamics of these interactions, such as metal distribution, nanoparticle growth, or degradation, in their native state (in vivo) is particularly difficult. Here, we demonstrate the direct measurement of iron content in hydrated, magnetite-biomineralizing magnetotactic bacteria using synchrotron-based nanobeam–scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy combined with a liquid cell environment. In addition to X-ray fluorescence imaging, we collected iron chemical speciation information from individual bacteria in liquid using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. To follow biomineralization in situ, we developed a microfluidic device to track magnetite nanoparticle formation over several hours under the X-ray beam. This approach highlights the potential of X-ray fluorescence microscopy in liquid cell setups to provide elemental and chemical insights into biological processes at the single-cell level. Combining X-ray nanobeam techniques with liquid cell devices will enable more “on-chip” experiments on metals in biological contexts to be conducted at the synchrotron.

Diamond Keywords: Biomineralisation

Subject Areas: Materials, Biology and Bio-materials, Chemistry


Instruments: I14-Hard X-ray Nanoprobe

Other Facilities: Nanoscopium, HERMES at Soleil; ID16B at ESRF

Added On: 12/03/2025 12:27

Documents:
d4sc08375j.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Biochemistry Chemistry Materials Science Nanoscience/Nanotechnology Biophysics Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags:

Imaging X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)