Open AccessMolecular diversity of methanogens and identification of M ethanolobus sp. as active methylotrophic A rchaea in L onar crater lake sediments
Author(s) -
Antony Chakkiath Paul,
Murrell J.C.,
Shouche Yogesh S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01274.x
Subject(s) - biology , archaea , methanomicrobiales , euryarchaeota , methanosarcina , methanogenesis , 16s ribosomal rna , microbial ecology , ecology , botany , gene , bacteria , genetics , methane
Soda lakes constitute extreme aquatic ecosystems with remarkably high primary productivity rates, but information on the diversity and activity of methanogens in such environments is sparse. Using 16 S rRNA and functional genes, we investigated the diversity of methanogens in the sediments of L onar L ake, a unique saline and alkaline ecosystem formed by meteorite impact in the D eccan basalts. Although domain and phylum level 16 S rRNA gene libraries were dominated by phylotypes related to H alobacteriales , sequences related to potentially novel A rchaea within the orders M ethanosarcinales and M ethanomicrobiales were obtained together with a significant fraction of sequences representing uncultivated E uryarchaeota [Correction added after online publication 16 April 2012: orders ‘ Methanosarcina and Methanomicrobiaceae ’ changed to ‘ Methanosarcinales and Methanomicrobiales ’]. To identify the active methylotrophic A rchaea involved in methanogenesis, mRNA transcripts of mcrA were retrieved from methanol consuming and methane emitting sediment microcosms at two different time points. Reverse‐transcription PCR , qPCR , DGGE fingerprint, and clone library analysis showed that the active A rchaea were closely related to M ethanolobus oregonensis . To our knowledge, this is the first study identifying active methylotrophic methanogens in such an environment.