Methane formation and methane oxidation by methanogenic bacteria

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · J. Bacteriol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6369198

Zehnder, A J.B.; Brock, T D

Methanogenic bacteria were found to form and oxidize methane at the same time. As compared to the quantity of methane formed, the amount of methane simultaneously oxidized varied between 0.3 and 0.001%, depending on the strain used. All the nine tested strains of methane producers (Methanobacterium ruminantium, Methanobacterium strain M.o.H., M. formicicum, M. thermoautotrophicum, M. arbophilicum, Methanobacterium strain AZ, Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanospirillum hungatii, and the acetate organism) reoxidized methane to carbon dioxide. In addition, they assimilated a small part of the methane supplied into cell material. Methanol and acetate also occurred as oxidation products in M. barkeri cultures. Acetate was also formed by the acetate organism, a methane bacterium unable to use methanogenic substrates other than acetate. Methane was the precursor of the methyl group of the acetate synthesized in the course of methane oxidation. Methane formation and its oxidation were inhibited equally by 2-bromoethanesulfonic acid. Short-term labeling experiments with M. thermoautotrophicum and M. hungatii clearly suggest that the pathway of methane oxidation is not identical with a simple back reaction of the methane formation process.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
• OSTI ID: 6369198
• Journal Information: J. Bacteriol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Bacteriol.; (United States) Vol. 137:1; ISSN JOBAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACETATES
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
BACTERIA
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
METHANE
METHANOGENIC BACTERIA
METHANOL
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
SYNTHESIS