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The key nickel enzyme of methanogenesis catalyses the anaerobic oxidation of methane

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  • Silvan Scheller

    (Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Meike Goenrich

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany)

  • Reinhard Boecher

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany)

  • Rudolf K. Thauer

    (Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Str. 10, 35043 Marburg, Germany)

  • Bernhard Jaun

    (Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland)

Abstract

Sea-bed conversion of CH3 Large quantities of the potent greenhouse gas methane are converted to carbon dioxide in marine sediments by methanotrophic archaea and sulphate-reducing bacteria, thereby preventing its release into the atmosphere. The hypothesis that the reaction behind this process is 'reverse methanogenesis', with the archaeal enzyme methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) that normally converts carbon dioxide to methane operating in the energetically unfavourable 'wrong' direction, gains support from experiments reported in this issue. Purified MCR from Methanothermobacter marburgensis is shown to convert methane into methyl-coenzyme M under equilibrium conditions at rates that are similar to those estimated for the in vivo anaerobic oxidation of methane.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvan Scheller & Meike Goenrich & Reinhard Boecher & Rudolf K. Thauer & Bernhard Jaun, 2010. "The key nickel enzyme of methanogenesis catalyses the anaerobic oxidation of methane," Nature, Nature, vol. 465(7298), pages 606-608, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:465:y:2010:i:7298:d:10.1038_nature09015
    DOI: 10.1038/nature09015
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    Cited by:

    1. Ortner, Markus & Rachbauer, Lydia & Somitsch, Walter & Fuchs, Werner, 2014. "Can bioavailability of trace nutrients be measured in anaerobic digestion?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 190-198.
    2. Song-Can Chen & Sheng Chen & Niculina Musat & Steffen Kümmel & Jiaheng Ji & Marie Braad Lund & Alexis Gilbert & Oliver J. Lechtenfeld & Hans-Hermann Richnow & Florin Musat, 2024. "Back flux during anaerobic oxidation of butane support archaea-mediated alkanogenesis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.

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