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Formación de metano a partir de alcanos de cadena larga por microorganismos anaerobios
K Zengler1, H H Richnow, R Rosselló-Mora
1Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.
Nature
|September 28, 1999
Resumen
Los alcanos de cadena larga pueden convertirse biológicamente en metano en condiciones anóxicas, incluso cuando no hay biomoléculas fácilmente degradables. Este estudio aclara una nueva vía para la producción de metano en antiguos sedimentos empobrecidos de oxígeno.
Área de la Ciencia:
- Microbiología Microbiología.
- La geoquímica es la geoquímica.
- Biogeoquímica La biogeoquímica es la bioquímica.
Sus antecedentes:
- El metano es el producto terminal de la degradación de la biomasa en entornos acuáticos anóxicos.
- Las vías microbianas para la formación de metano a partir de biomoléculas fácilmente degradables están bien establecidas.
- El destino de los compuestos orgánicos recalcitrantes, como los alcanos, en antiguos sedimentos anóxicos sigue siendo en gran medida desconocido.
Objetivo del estudio:
- Investigar la conversión biológica de alcanos de cadena larga en metano bajo condiciones estrictamente anóxicas.
- Para dilucidar los procesos microbianos involucrados en la producción de metano a partir de materia orgánica recalcitrante en sedimentos envejecidos.
Principales métodos:
- Se utilizan cultivos de enriquecimiento bajo condiciones estrictamente anóxicas.
- Se centra en el metabolismo de los hidrocarburos saturados (alcanes) como un potencial precursor del metano.
Principales resultados:
- Demostró la conversión biológica de alcanos de cadena larga en metano.
- Se demostró que los alcanos pueden consumirse en sedimentos anóxicos por debajo de la zona de reducción de sulfatos.
Conclusiones:
- Estableció que los alcanos pueden servir como sustrato para la metanogénesis en entornos desprovistos de aceptores de electrones comunes.
- Este hallazgo amplía nuestra comprensión del ciclo del carbono en ambientes sedimentarios profundos y anóxicos y el papel del metabolismo microbiano en la degradación de la materia orgánica recalcitrante.
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