Fig. 3: High-resolution STEM (HR-STEM) analysis of M. sedula grown on NWA 7034.

a, b Representative HR-STEM images of biogenic mineral deposits on the outer layer of M. sedula cell. Inset in panel (b) represents the fast fourier transform (FFT) pattern consistent with the phases of Fe, Mn, Al phosphates listed in Supplementary Tables 3 and 4. c The HAADF-STEM image of M. sedula cells. d Magnified HAADF-STEM image showing the amorphous blade-shaped structures protruding cellular environment. e The HR-STEM image of the intracellular amorphous nanoassemblages. f Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) spectra acquired from the nanometer-sized near-spherical aggregates in panel (e). Cu peaks in EDS spectra are due to the TEM grid and U peak is due to the staining solution.