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Title: Methylotrophic methanogenesis discovered in the archaeal phylum Verstraetearchaeota

Journal Article · · Nature Microbiology
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Queensland, St. Lucia (Australia). Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
  2. Univ. of Queensland, St. Lucia (Australia). Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and Advanced Water Management Centre

Methanogenesis is the primary biogenic source of methane in the atmosphere and a key contributor to climate change. The long-standing dogma that methanogenesis originated within the Euryarchaeota was recently challenged by the discovery of putative methane-metabolizing genes in members of the Bathyarchaeota, suggesting that methanogenesis may be more phylogenetically widespread than currently appreciated. Here, we present the discovery of divergent methyl-coenzyme M reductase genes in population genomes recovered from anoxic environments with high methane flux that belong to a new archaeal phylum, the Verstraetearchaeota. These archaea encode the genes required for methylotrophic methanogenesis, and may conserve energy using a mechanism similar to that proposed for the obligate H2-dependent methylotrophic Methanomassiliicoccales and recently described Candidatus ‘Methanofastidiosa’. Our findings indicate that we are only beginning to understand methanogen diversity and support an ancient origin for methane metabolism in the Archaea, which is changing our understanding of the global carbon cycle.

Research Organization:
California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0010574
OSTI ID:
1424948
Journal Information:
Nature Microbiology, Vol. 1; ISSN 2058-5276
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 303 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Methanogenesis on Early Stages of Life: Ancient but Not Primordial journal December 2018
Metal-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation in marine sediment: Insights from marine settings and other systems journal June 2019
Minimum information about a single amplified genome (MISAG) and a metagenome-assembled genome (MIMAG) of bacteria and archaea journal August 2017
Discovery of extremely halophilic, methyl-reducing euryarchaea provides insights into the evolutionary origin of methanogenesis journal May 2017
Archaea and the origin of eukaryotes journal November 2017
Divergent methyl-coenzyme M reductase genes in a deep-subseafloor Archaeoglobi journal January 2019
Methylamine-specific methyltransferase paralogs in Methanosarcina are functionally distinct despite frequent gene conversion journal May 2019
Expansion of Thaumarchaeota habitat range is correlated with horizontal transfer of ATPase operons journal August 2019
Mixing of meteoric and geothermal fluids supports hyperdiverse chemosynthetic hydrothermal communities journal February 2019
Asgard archaea capable of anaerobic hydrocarbon cycling journal April 2019
Insights into the ecological roles and evolution of methyl-coenzyme M reductase-containing hot spring Archaea journal October 2019
Horizontal gene transfer constrains the timing of methanogen evolution journal April 2018
Integrated genomic and fossil evidence illuminates life’s early evolution and eukaryote origin journal August 2018
Recovery of nearly 8,000 metagenome-assembled genomes substantially expands the tree of life journal September 2017
Marsarchaeota are an aerobic archaeal lineage abundant in geothermal iron oxide microbial mats journal May 2018
Co-occurring genomic capacity for anaerobic methane and dissimilatory sulfur metabolisms discovered in the Korarchaeota journal March 2019
Wide diversity of methane and short-chain alkane metabolisms in uncultured archaea journal March 2019
Non-autotrophic methanogens dominate in anaerobic digesters journal May 2017
Occurrence and expression of novel methyl-coenzyme M reductase gene (mcrA) variants in hot spring sediments journal August 2017
Anaerobic digestion of pig manure supernatant at high ammonia concentrations characterized by high abundances of Methanosaeta and non-euryarchaeotal archaea journal November 2017
Phylogenomic analysis demonstrates a pattern of rare and long-lasting concerted evolution in prokaryotes journal February 2018
Impact of anaerobic co-digestion between sewage sludge and carbon-rich organic waste on microbial community resilience journal January 2018
Pyrrolysine in archaea: a 22nd amino acid encoded through a genetic code expansion journal November 2018
Effects of alternative electron acceptors on the activity and community structure of methane-producing and consuming microbes in the sediments of two shallow boreal lakes journal June 2017
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