Rustcells

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Rustcells
(Sadakamira spp.)
Main image of Rustcells
Species is extant.
Information
CreatorMnidjm Other
Week/Generation23/145
HabitatGlobal (Sagan 4)
Size100 μm diameter
Primary MobilityUnknown
SupportUnknown
DietLithotroph (Iron)
RespirationPassive Diffusion
ThermoregulationEctotherm
ReproductionMitosis
Taxonomy
Domain
Kingdom
Genus
Species
Eukaryota
Endoturbaria
Sadakamira
Sadakamira spp.
Ancestor:Descendants:

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 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 ---