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Ecology of Methanonatronarchaeia
Dimitry Y Sorokin1,2, Alexander Y Merkel1, Ben Abbas2
1Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, Research Centre of Biotechnology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
Environmental Microbiology
|June 21, 2022
Summary
Methanonatronarchaeia are specialized extremophiles thriving in hypersaline soda lakes. These methyl-reducing methanogens flourish in high salt, high temperature, and specific C1 compound conditions.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Extremophile Research
- Archaea Phylogeny
Background:
- Methanonatronarchaeia are deep-branching, halo(alkali)philic, thermophilic methanogens within Halobacteriota.
- This lineage includes Methanonatronarchaeum (alkaliphilic) and Ca. Methanohalarchaeum (neutrophilic).
- Understanding their distribution and ecophysiology is limited, especially for Ca. Methanohalarchaeum.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution and ecophysiology of Methanonatronarchaeia.
- To determine the optimal growth conditions and substrate utilization for these extremophilic methanogens.
- To compare the proliferation of Methanonatronarchaeum and Ca. Methanohalarchaeum under various conditions.
Main Methods:
- Enrichment cultivation of anaerobic sediment slurries from Russian hypersaline lakes.
- Potential activity tests using different substrates and incubation conditions (temperature, salinity).
- Monitoring microbial proliferation and community dynamics.
Main Results:
- Methanonatronarchaeum proliferated in hypersaline soda lakes, primarily at elevated temperatures.
- At mesophilic conditions, Methanonatronarchaeum coexisted with Methanosalsum natronophilum.
- Ca. Methanohalarchaeum outcompeted Methanohalobium under thermophilic, high-salinity, methyl-reducing conditions.
Conclusions:
- Methanonatronarchaeia are specialized extremophiles adapted to high temperature and extreme salinity.
- Their proliferation depends on the availability of C1 compounds and H2/formate.
- This study provides insights into the ecological niches and competitive interactions of these archaea.
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