Articles tagged with Methanogens
Researchers discovered a remarkable nitrogenase in the deep-sea archaeon Methanocaldococcus infernus, capable of fixing nitrogen at temperatures above 90°C. The enzyme's exceptional stability allowed scientists to study its structure and function, providing new insights into the nitrogen fixation process.
A newly discovered jumping gene in a bacterial predator allows it to transfer genes to other species via circular RNA. This process accelerates evolution and challenges current understanding of horizontal gene transfer.
Researchers discovered novel microorganisms that rely on conductive particles to convert organic carbon to methane in sediments. These particle-dependent partnerships use the particles as an 'electron transfer conduit', allowing cells to collaborate even when physically separate.
Researchers discovered that one microorganism can live with a bit of ambiguity in its genetic code, synthesizing two different proteins seemingly at random. This finding contradicts a long-held dogma and has implications for future disease therapies, including treating diseases caused by premature stop codons.
Researchers at UC Berkeley developed a method to understand the isotope signatures of methane from different environments using CRISPR. This study can change how scientists calculate the contributions of various environmental sources to Earth's total methane budget.
A University of Nebraska-Lincoln research team has identified methanogens that can consume hydrogen and dissolve calcium carbonate, producing methane. This discovery has implications for the sustainable development of bioenergy sources and challenges current understanding of carbonate mineral stability.
Researchers from Montana State University have identified two new groups of methanogens, single-celled organisms that produce methane, outside the lineage Euryarchaeota. The findings have significant implications for mitigating climate change and understanding potential life elsewhere in our solar system.
Scientists discovered how methanogenic archaea regulate nitrogen uptake using a molecular switch that adjusts enzyme activity based on 2-oxoglutarate levels. This regulation prevents energy waste when cells have enough nitrogen.
Scientists have isolated a microbial enzyme that converts CO2 to formate with high efficiency when attached to an electrode, making it a potential candidate for capturing the greenhouse gas. The system uses renewable energy from wind or solar power to drive the conversion process, storing energy in the form of formate.
Researchers discovered a methanogen that converts sulfate into a cellular building block, reassembling a metabolic pathway piece by piece. The microbe assembled the first sulfate assimilation pathway from a methanogen, using genetic tricks to overcome energetic costs and toxic intermediates.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology reveal how a specific enzyme, Fsr, converts sulfite into sulfide, allowing methanogens to grow safely on toxic substances. This discovery opens opportunities for biotechnological applications and provides insights into the evolution of these microorganisms.
Researchers have discovered that some methanogenic microbes can divert carbon flux from methane production to acetogenesis, a previously unknown anabolic pathway. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that all methanogens are obligate methanogens.
Researchers have successfully cultivated an archaeon called Methanoliparia from an oil production facility, which can convert oil into methane and carbon dioxide on its own. The microbe's unique genetic make-up gives it the ability to break down various hydrocarbons and activate enzymes that produce methane.
Researchers discovered a massive enzyme complex in methanogenic archaea that directly transfers electrons from electron bifurcation to CO2 reduction, increasing efficiency. This finding may lead to sustainable biotechnological development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers are developing methanogenic eco-factories to produce methane and value-added compounds like isoprenoids. The small power plants have unexplored metabolic capabilities that can be harnessed for biotechnological applications.
A study at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found a correlation between certain gut microbes and resistance to typhoid fever. Those with higher levels of methanogens were significantly less likely to become sick after exposure to virulent bacteria.
Researchers have identified the mechanism by which methanogens obtain electrons from solid surfaces, paving the way for more efficient microbial factories that produce methane gas. The discovery also sheds light on microbially influenced corrosion, a significant global problem with estimated annual economic losses of $1 billion.
A team of researchers discovered that ancient microbes used a process similar to photosynthesis to produce methane 2.5 billion years ago, long before oxygen became available. This finding may have implications for understanding climate change, agriculture, and human health.
A third of Earth's organisms live in rocks and sediments, but their lives have been a mystery. Scientists have now shed light into this dark world by studying methane-exhaling microbes in hot undersea volcanoes. The research reveals that these microbes thrive in environments with low hydrogen levels and have symbiotic relationships bet...
A third of Earth's organisms live in rocks and sediments, yet their lives and ecology are unknown. Researchers at UMass Amherst study methane-exhaling microbes in undersea volcanoes, establishing the first environmental hydrogen threshold for hyperthermophilic methanogens.
Researchers create microbial factories to transform clean electricity from solar, wind, or nuclear power into renewable methane fuel. This approach could eliminate the need for fossil resources and produce eco-friendly alternatives like ethanol.
Researchers are raising colonies of microorganisms that can turn electrical energy into pure methane, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The goal is to create large microbial factories to produce renewable methane fuel and valuable chemical compounds.
In 1977, Carl Woese led a team that identified archaea as a unique domain of life, distinct from bacteria and other organisms. Their discovery opened up a new field of study and revolutionized biology, particularly microbial ecology.
Researchers found ancient microbes in ice cores from Greenland, which could be a preview of what's discovered under Mars' surface. The discovery suggests that methane-generating Archaea might exist on Mars, and state-of-the-art instruments could detect them around meteor craters.
Scientists have discovered a novel protein complex that allows methanogens to survive in environments with sulfite, a toxic compound. The enzyme, coenzyme F420-dependent sulfite reductase, converts sulfite into sulfide, an essential nutrient for the organisms.
Scientists have discovered new life in the deep ocean floor, specifically microbial methane makers that thrive on frozen methane hydrate. The team's research aims to develop realistic models of hydrate distribution and rate of formation in seafloor sediments.
Researchers at Cornell University are growing methanogens and other microbes in a laboratory using conditions similar to acidic wetlands. The goal is to understand how these microorganisms function and potentially apply this knowledge to bioengineering, such as bioremediation of contaminated sites or controlled methane production.