General

Dr. Wei Lin is a professor in the Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics (EPP), Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), Beijing, China. He explores the origin, evolution and mechanisms of microbial biomineralization and microbial magnetoreception (magnetotaxis) and their ecological functions and geological implications.


Wei Lin

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Room 806, Building #1

19 Bei-Tu-Cheng-Xi-Lu Street,

Beijing 100029, China  

Telephone: 86 (10) 8299 8606

Fax: 86 (10) 6201 0846

Lab web: https://www.geobig.org/

Email: weilin0408@gmail.com


Research Areas

Research Interests: 

  • Geobiology
  • Astrobiology
  • Geomicrobiology
  • Magnetotactic Bacteria and Magnetotaxis

 

Current Research:

 

l  Magnetotactic bacteria and global iron cycling

A number of microorganisms biomineralize intracellular or extracellular iron minerals and play essential roles in global biogeochemical cycling of iron. One of the most interesting examples of these types of organisms are the magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), a widespread and polyphyletic group of prokaryotes that are able to uptake iron from environments and form intracellular nano-sized iron minerals of magnetite (Fe3O4) and/or greigite (Fe3S4), known as magnetosomes. I have investigated the diversity and biogeography of MTB communities from freshwater to saline habitats in diverse environments, and evaluated their roles in the present-day global iron cycling and the deposition of iron formation through the geological history.

 

l  Mechanisms of intracellular biomineralization in bacteria

Bacteria can sequester metals and other ions intracellularly in various forms ranging from poorly ordered deposits to well-ordered mineral crystals. The magnetosomes in magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) represent an ideal system for studying the mechanisms of intracellular biomineralization in bacteria. I have performed combined approaches of transmission electron microscopy, magnetic measurements and metagenomics to investigate the ultrastructure, biology and magnetosome formation of environmental MTB communities. These comprehensive analyses shed light on the biomineralization mechanisms and physiology of the poorly understood yet ecologically important MTB communities.

Education

2000-2004  Biology, B.Sc., Xinjiang  University, China
2004-2010  Geobiology, Ph.D student, Institute of Geology and Geophysics,  Chinese Academy of Sciences, China  (supervisor: Dr. Yongxin  Pan)
2007-2008  Max Planck/ Chinese Academy of Sciences Doctoral  Promotion Program, Department of Biology, Microbiology,  Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany (co-supervisor: Dr. Dirk  Schüler)
2011-2011  NASA Planetary Biology Internship Program, University of   Southern California, USA (with Dr. Kenneth H. Nealson)


Experience

   
Work Experience

2010-2012  Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of  Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
2013  Associate Professor, Institute of Geology and Geophysics,  Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
2015-2016  University of California, San Diego, USA, Visiting Scholar


Honors & Distinctions

2005-2006  Excellent Graduate  Student, Chinese Academy of Sciences
2007-2008   Excellent Graduate Student, Chinese Academy of Sciences
2009  Presidential Prize, Chinese Academy of Sciences
2011  Excellent Doctoral Dissertation, Chinese Academy of  Sciences
2012  CAS-Springer Excellent Doctorate Theses Award
2014  Lu Jiaxi Youth Talent Award, Chinese Academy of  Sciences


Publications

   
Papers

Publications in Peer Reviewed Journals:

  1. Deng A., W. Lin, N. Shi, J. Wu, Z. Sun, Q. Sun, H. Bai, Y. Pan, and T. Wen. 2016. In vitro assembly of the bacterial actin protein MamK from ‘Candidatus Magnetobacterium casensis’ in the phylum NitrospiraeProtein & Cell 7:267-280. [pdf]
  2. Wang Y., W. Lin, J. Li, T. Zhang, Y. Li, J. Tian, L. Gu, Y. Heyden, and Y. Pan. 2016. Characterizing and optimizing magnetosome production of Magnetospirillum sp. XM-1 isolated from Xi'an City Moat, China. FEMS Microbiology Letters362:doi:10.193/femsle/fnv167. [pdf]
  3. Lin W., and Y. Pan. 2015. A putative greigite type magnetosome gene cluster from the candidate phylum Latescibacteria. Environmental Microbiology Reports 7:237-242. [pdf]
  4. Lin W., A. Deng, Z. Wang, Y. Li, T. Wen, L.-F. Wu, M. Wu, and Y. Pan. 2014. Genomic insights into the uncultured genus 'Candidatus Magnetobacterium' in the phylum Nitrospirae. The ISME Journal 8:2463–2477. [pdf]
  5. Lin W., K. Benzerara, D. Faivre, and Y. Pan. 2014. Intracellular biomineralization in bacteria. Frontiers in Microbiology 5:293. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00293. [pdf]
  6. Lin, W., D. A. Bazylinski, T. Xiao, L.-F. Wu, and Y. Pan. 2014. Life with compass: diversity and biogeography of magnetotactic bacteria. Environmental Microbiology 16:2646–2658. [pdf] (Highlight by SfAM)
  7. Lin, W., Y. Wang, Chen, H., and Y. Pan. 2014. Diversity and biogeography of magnetotactic bacteria in Maar Lake, Northeast China. Scientia Sinica: Terrae 44:1253-1262 (in Chinese with English abstract). [pdf]
  8. Kong, D., W. Lin, Y. Pan, and K. Zhang. 2014. Swimming motion of rod-shaped magnetotactic bacteria: the effects of shape and growing magnetic moment. Frontiers in Microbiology 5:8. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00008. [pdf] 
  9. Lin, W., Y. Wang, Y. A. Gorby, K. H. Nealson, and Y. Pan. 2013. Integrating niche-based process and spatial process in biogeography of magnetotactic bacteria. Scientific Reports 3:1643. doi: 10.1038/srep01643. [pdf]
  10. Katzmann, E., M. Eibauer, W. Lin, Y. Pan, J. M. Plitzko and D. Schüler. 2013. Analysis of magnetosome chains in magnetotactic bacteria by magnetic measurements and automated image analysis of electron micrographs. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79:7755-7762. [pdf]
  11. Chen, H., W. Lin, Y. Wang, J. Li, G. Chen, and Y. Pan. 2013. Diversity and magnetism of magnetotactic bacteria in Lake Weiyang near Xi'an city. Quaternary Sciences 33:88-96 (in Chinese with English abstract). [pdf]
  12. Wang, Y., W. Lin, J. Li, and Y. Pan. 2013. Changes of cell growth and magnetosome biomineralization in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 after ultraviolet-B irradiation. Frontiers in Microbiology 4:397. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2013.00397. [pdf]
  13. Wang, Y., W. Lin, J. Li, and Y. Pan. 2013. High diversity of magnetotactic Deltaproteobacteria in a freshwater niche. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79:2813-2817. [pdf]
  14. Lin, W., Y. Wang, B. Li, and Y. Pan. 2012. A biogeographic distribution of magnetotactic bacteria influenced by salinity. The ISME Journal 6:475-479. [pdf]
  15. Lin, W., J. Li, and Y. Pan. 2012. Newly isolated but uncultivated magnetotactic bacterium of the phylum Nitrospirae from Beijing, China. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 78:668-675. (Cover Image[pdf]
  16. Lin, W., Y. Wan, and Y. Pan. 2012. Short-term effects of temperature on the abundance and diversity of magnetotactic cocci. MicrobiologyOpen. 1:53-63. [pdf]
  17. Lin, W., and Y. Pan. 2012. Diversity of magnetotactic bacteria and its implications for environment. Quaternary Sciences 32:567-575 (in Chinese with English abstract). (Cover Image[pdf]
  18. Oestreicher, Z., S. K. Lower, W. Lin, and B. H. Lower. 2012. Collection, isolation and enrichment of naturally occurring magnetotactic bacteria from the environment. Journal of Visualized Experiments 69: e50123.
  19. Lin, W., and Y. Pan. 2011. Snapping magnetosome chains by asymmetric cell division in magnetotactic bacteria. Molecular Microbiology 82:1301-1304. [pdf]
  20. Lin, W., C. Jogler, D. Schüler, and Y. Pan. 2011. Metagenomic analysis reveals unexpected subgenomic diversity of magnetotactic bacteria within the Phylum Nitrospirae. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 77:323-326. [pdf]
  21. Lin, W., B. Li, and Y. Pan. 2011. DMTB: a comprehensive online resource of 16S rRNA genes, ecological metadata, oligonucleotides, and magnetic properties of magnetotactic bacteria. Chinese Science Bulletin 56:476-478. [pdf]
  22. Lin, W., and Y. Pan. 2010. Temporal variation of magnetotactic bacterial communities in two freshwater sediment microcosms. FEMS Microbiology Letters 302:85-92. [pdf]
  23. Tian, L., W. Lin, S. Zhang, and Y. Pan. 2010. Bat head contains soft magnetic particles: evidence from magnetism. Bioelectromagnetics 31:499-503. [pdf]
  24. Jogler, C., M. Niebler, W. Lin, M. Kube, G. Wanner, S. Kolinko, P. Stief, A. Beck, D. DeBeer, N. Petersen, Y. Pan, R. Amann, R. Reinhardt, and D. Schüler. 2010. Cultivation-independent characterization of "Candidatus Magnetobacterium bavaricum" via ultrastructural, geochemical, ecological and metagenomic methods. Environmental Microbiology 12:2466-2478. [pdf]
  25. Li, J., Y. Pan, Q. Liu, K. Yu-Zhang, N. Menguy, R. Che, H. Qin, W. Lin, W. Wu, and N. Petersen. 2010. Biomineralization, crystallography and magnetic properties of bullet-shaped magnetite magnetosomes in giant rod magnetotactic bacteria. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 293:368-376. [pdf]
  26. Lin, W., and Y. Pan. 2009. Uncultivated magnetotactic cocci from Yuandadu park in Beijing, China. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75:4046-4052. [pdf]
  27. Lin, W., and Y. Pan. 2009. Specific primers for the detection of freshwater alphaproteobacterial magnetotactic cocci. International Microbiology 12:237-242. [pdf]
  28. Lin, W., J. Li, D. Schüler, C. Jogler, and Y. Pan. 2009. Diversity analysis of magnetotactic bacteria in Lake Miyun, northern China, by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 32:342-350. [pdf]
  29. Pan, Y., W. Lin, J. Li, W. Wu, L. Tian, C. Deng, Q. Liu, R. Zhu, M. Winklhofer, and N. Petersen. 2009. Reduced efficiency of magnetotaxis in magnetotactic coccoid bacteria in higher than geomagnetic fields. Biophysical Journal 97:986-91. [pdf]
  30. Pan, Y., W. Lin, L. Tian, R. Zhu, and N. Petersen. 2009. Combined approaches for characterization of an uncultivated magnetotactic coccus from Lake Miyun near Beijing. Geomicrobiology Journal 26:313-320. [pdf]
  31. Jogler, C., W. Lin, A. Meyerdierks, M. Kube, E. Katzmann, C. Flies, Y. Pan, R. Amann, R. Reinhardt, and D. Schüler. 2009. Towards cloning the magnetotactic metagenome: identification of magnetosome island gene clusters in uncultivated magnetotactic bacteria from different aquatic sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75:3972-3979. [pdf]
  32. Li, J. H., Y. X. Pan, G. J. Chen, Q. S. Liu, L. X. Tian, and W. Lin. 2009. Magnetite magnetosome and fragmental chain formation of Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1: transmission electron microscopy and magnetic observations. Geophysical Journal International 177:33-42. [pdf]
  33. Lin, W., L. Tian, J. Li, and Y. Pan. 2008. Does capillary racetrack-based enrichment reflect the diversity of uncultivated magnetotactic cocci in environmental samples? FEMS Microbiology Letters 279:202-206. [pdf]
  34. Tian, L., B. Xiao, W. Lin, S. Y. Zhang, R. X. Zhu, and Y. X. Pan. 2007. Testing for the presence of magnetite in the upper-beak skin of homing pigeons. Biometals 20:197-203. [pdf]
  35. Lin, W., L. Tian, and Y. Pan. 2006. Formation of magnetosomes in magnetotactic bacteria. Microbiology China 33:133-137 (in Chinese with English abstract). [pdf]
  36. Tian, L., Y. Pan, W. Lin, Y. Wang, and S. Zhang. 2005. Progresses in Studies of geomagnetic navigation animals. Science Foundation in China 13:17-19. [pdf]

 

 

Book:

  • Lin, W2013. Diversity, Biomineralization and Rock Magnetism of Magnetotactic Bacteria. Springer Verlag, Berlin, 92 pp.

 

Book Chapter:

 

  • 潘永信, 林巍, 吴文芳, 底青云, 朱日祥, 刘青松 (2013). 地下深部生物圈的生物地球物理研究方法, 276-284. 固体地球科学研究方法 (丁仲礼 著). 科学出版社, 北京.

 

Editing Special Issue:

  • Intracellular biomineralization in bacteria. Frontiers in Microbiology 2014Edited by Wei Lin, Karim Benzerara, Damien Faivre, and Yongxin Pan. Publisher: Frontiers Media SA. ISBN: 978-2-88919-272-4.


Patents
  • Lin, W., C. Jogler, D. Schüler, and Y. Pan. 22 August 2012. Bidirectional magnetotactic bacteria collecting device useful for researching variability and magnetic performance of magnetotactic bacteria, comprises a collector, a separation tube, a sample tube, a Helmholtz coil, and a coil controller. ZL200810225786.1.


Students

已指导学生

方元  硕士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

纪润佳  硕士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

张文斯  博士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

现指导学生

康梦玲  硕士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

刘立  博士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

郭雪  硕士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

王喆  博士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

张慧卿  硕士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学  

纪润佳  博士研究生  0709Z1-地球生物学