Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth

The second largest sink for atmospheric methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) is atmospheric methane oxidizing-bacteria (atmMOB). How atmMOB are able to sustain life on the low CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations in air is unknown. Here, we show that during growth, with air as its only source f...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexander Tøsdal Tveit, Tilman Schmider, Anne Grethe Hestnes, Matteus Lindgren, Alena Didriksen, Mette Marianne Svenning
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:Microorganisms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/1/153
_version_ 1797412863002804224
author Alexander Tøsdal Tveit
Tilman Schmider
Anne Grethe Hestnes
Matteus Lindgren
Alena Didriksen
Mette Marianne Svenning
author_facet Alexander Tøsdal Tveit
Tilman Schmider
Anne Grethe Hestnes
Matteus Lindgren
Alena Didriksen
Mette Marianne Svenning
author_sort Alexander Tøsdal Tveit
collection DOAJ
description The second largest sink for atmospheric methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) is atmospheric methane oxidizing-bacteria (atmMOB). How atmMOB are able to sustain life on the low CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations in air is unknown. Here, we show that during growth, with air as its only source for energy and carbon, the recently isolated atmospheric methane-oxidizer <i>Methylocapsa gorgona</i> MG08 (USCα) oxidizes three atmospheric energy sources: CH<sub>4</sub>, carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) to support growth. The cell-specific CH<sub>4</sub> oxidation rate of <i>M. gorgona</i> MG08 was estimated at ~0.7 × 10<sup>−18</sup> mol cell<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>, which, together with the oxidation of CO and H<sub>2</sub>, supplies 0.38 kJ Cmol<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> during growth in air. This is seven times lower than previously assumed necessary to support bacterial maintenance. We conclude that atmospheric methane-oxidation is supported by a metabolic flexibility that enables the simultaneous harvest of CH<sub>4</sub>, H<sub>2</sub> and CO from air, but the key characteristic of atmospheric CH<sub>4</sub> oxidizing bacteria might be very low energy requirements.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T05:09:24Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c305a5f7a6e64f1387210e333861d847
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2076-2607
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T05:09:24Z
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Microorganisms
spelling doaj.art-c305a5f7a6e64f1387210e333861d8472023-12-03T12:51:41ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-01-019115310.3390/microorganisms9010153Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial GrowthAlexander Tøsdal Tveit0Tilman Schmider1Anne Grethe Hestnes2Matteus Lindgren3Alena Didriksen4Mette Marianne Svenning5Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, NorwayCAGE—Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9010 Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, NorwayThe second largest sink for atmospheric methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) is atmospheric methane oxidizing-bacteria (atmMOB). How atmMOB are able to sustain life on the low CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations in air is unknown. Here, we show that during growth, with air as its only source for energy and carbon, the recently isolated atmospheric methane-oxidizer <i>Methylocapsa gorgona</i> MG08 (USCα) oxidizes three atmospheric energy sources: CH<sub>4</sub>, carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) to support growth. The cell-specific CH<sub>4</sub> oxidation rate of <i>M. gorgona</i> MG08 was estimated at ~0.7 × 10<sup>−18</sup> mol cell<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>, which, together with the oxidation of CO and H<sub>2</sub>, supplies 0.38 kJ Cmol<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> during growth in air. This is seven times lower than previously assumed necessary to support bacterial maintenance. We conclude that atmospheric methane-oxidation is supported by a metabolic flexibility that enables the simultaneous harvest of CH<sub>4</sub>, H<sub>2</sub> and CO from air, but the key characteristic of atmospheric CH<sub>4</sub> oxidizing bacteria might be very low energy requirements.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/1/153methanecarbon monoxidehydrogenenergygrowthatmospheric trace gases
spellingShingle Alexander Tøsdal Tveit
Tilman Schmider
Anne Grethe Hestnes
Matteus Lindgren
Alena Didriksen
Mette Marianne Svenning
Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth
Microorganisms
methane
carbon monoxide
hydrogen
energy
growth
atmospheric trace gases
title Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth
title_full Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth
title_fullStr Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth
title_full_unstemmed Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth
title_short Simultaneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen for Bacterial Growth
title_sort simultaneous oxidation of atmospheric methane carbon monoxide and hydrogen for bacterial growth
topic methane
carbon monoxide
hydrogen
energy
growth
atmospheric trace gases
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/1/153
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandertøsdaltveit simultaneousoxidationofatmosphericmethanecarbonmonoxideandhydrogenforbacterialgrowth
AT tilmanschmider simultaneousoxidationofatmosphericmethanecarbonmonoxideandhydrogenforbacterialgrowth
AT annegrethehestnes simultaneousoxidationofatmosphericmethanecarbonmonoxideandhydrogenforbacterialgrowth
AT matteuslindgren simultaneousoxidationofatmosphericmethanecarbonmonoxideandhydrogenforbacterialgrowth
AT alenadidriksen simultaneousoxidationofatmosphericmethanecarbonmonoxideandhydrogenforbacterialgrowth
AT mettemariannesvenning simultaneousoxidationofatmosphericmethanecarbonmonoxideandhydrogenforbacterialgrowth