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Functionalization of Methane in Anaerobic Microorganisms
Author(s) -
Thauer Rudolf K.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201002967
Subject(s) - methane , methane monooxygenase , microorganism , anaerobic oxidation of methane , anaerobic exercise , chemistry , nitrite , bacteria , anaerobic bacteria , environmental chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , organic chemistry , nitrate , physiology , genetics
More than one way to skin a cat : Some strictly anaerobic bacteria grow in the presence of methane and nitrite, forming CO 2 and N 2 . Recently published experimental evidence suggests the involvement of a NO dismutase and of a particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) in the process. Both enzymes are lacking in microorganisms that catalyze anaerobic methane oxidation with sulfate. There are thus at least two pathways that enable anaerobes to use methane as fuel.