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Methane-consuming archaebacteria in marine sediments

Author

Listed:
  • Kai-Uwe Hinrichs

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • John M. Hayes

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Sean P. Sylva

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Peter G. Brewer

    (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)

  • Edward F. DeLong

    (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)

Abstract

Large amounts of methane are produced in marine sediments but are then consumed before contacting aerobic waters or the atmosphere1. Although no organism that can consume methane anaerobically has ever been isolated, biogeochemical evidence indicates that the overall process involves a transfer of electrons from methane to sulphate and is probably mediated by several organisms, including a methanogen (operating in reverse) and a sulphate-reducer (using an unknown intermediate substrate)2. Here we describe studies of sediments related to a decomposing methane hydrate. These provide strong evidence that methane is being consumed by archaebacteria that are phylogenetically distinct from known methanogens. Specifically, lipid biomarkers that are commonly characteristic of archaea are so strongly depleted in carbon-13 that methane must be the carbon source, rather than the metabolic product, for the organisms that have produced them. Parallel gene surveys of small-subunit ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) indicate the predominance of a new archael group which is peripherally related to the methanogenic orders Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales.

Suggested Citation

  • Kai-Uwe Hinrichs & John M. Hayes & Sean P. Sylva & Peter G. Brewer & Edward F. DeLong, 1999. "Methane-consuming archaebacteria in marine sediments," Nature, Nature, vol. 398(6730), pages 802-805, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:398:y:1999:i:6730:d:10.1038_19751
    DOI: 10.1038/19751
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria De La Fuente & Sandra Arndt & Héctor Marín-Moreno & Tim A. Minshull, 2022. "Assessing the Benthic Response to Climate-Driven Methane Hydrate Destabilisation: State of the Art and Future Modelling Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-32, May.
    2. Heleen T. Ouboter & Rob Mesman & Tom Sleutels & Jelle Postma & Martijn Wissink & Mike S. M. Jetten & Annemiek Ter Heijne & Tom Berben & Cornelia U. Welte, 2024. "Mechanisms of extracellular electron transfer in anaerobic methanotrophic archaea," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Sina Schorn & Jon S. Graf & Sten Littmann & Philipp F. Hach & Gaute Lavik & Daan R. Speth & Carsten J. Schubert & Marcel M. M. Kuypers & Jana Milucka, 2024. "Persistent activity of aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria in anoxic lake waters due to metabolic versatility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.

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