Rustcells

The rustcell are a diverse genus of iron cells that live in almost all environments on Sagan 4, and provide a necessary component to the bio-iron cycle. They create a ferric reductase enzyme which reduces the ferric Fe(III) to Fe(II). They find sources of iron using specialized organelle known as a magnetosome, which contain magnetite crystals that allow them to sense the food sources. These crystals can either be made of iron oxide or sulfide. Rustcells, like the electini, are considered a Dissimilatory Metal-Reducing Microorganisms. DMRMs are microorganisms that can perform anaerobic respiration utilizing a metal, in this case Fe(III), as terminal electron acceptor rather than molecular oxygen (O2), which is the terminal electron acceptor reduced to water (H2O) in aerobic respiration. They are all facultative anaerobes, and in the presence of oxygen will produce ATP using free organic compounds, but they can not survive well in such environments.

Integrated Species ---
 * Cave Rustcell
 * Limestone Rustcell
 * Fuzzy Rustcell
 * Saltlake Rustcell
 * Sandstone Rustcell
 * Volcanic Rustcell
 * Water Table Rustcell