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Nitrite-driven anaerobic methane oxidation by oxygenic bacteria.

Katharina F Ettwig1, Margaret K Butler, Denis Le Paslier

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Oxygen production is primarily linked to photosynthesis, chlorate respiration, and reactive oxygen species detoxification.
  • A significant freshwater methane sink remains biochemically unexplained.
  • The role of anaerobic methane oxidation in global biogeochemical cycles is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize a novel biological pathway for oxygen production.
  • To elucidate the biochemical mechanism behind a poorly understood freshwater methane sink.
  • To explore the evolutionary implications of early oxygen availability.

Main Methods:

  • Metagenomic sequencing of an anaerobic enrichment culture.
  • Whole-genome assembly of the dominant bacterium, 'Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera'.
  • Isotopic labeling experiments to trace metabolic pathways.

Main Results:

  • Discovery of a fourth oxygen-producing pathway in 'Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera'.
  • This bacterium performs anaerobic methane oxidation using oxygen derived from nitric oxide conversion.
  • The organism utilizes the aerobic methane oxidation pathway anaerobically, lacking known dinitrogen production genes.

Conclusions:

  • A new biochemical pathway for oxygen generation has been identified.
  • This pathway explains a significant freshwater methane sink and impacts hydrocarbon degradation.
  • Oxygen may have been available for microbial metabolism prior to oxygenic photosynthesis.