Premium
Development of genetic approaches for the methane‐producing archaebacterium Methanococcus maripaludis
Author(s) -
Whitman William B.,
Tumbula Debra L.,
Yu JaePil,
Kim Wonduck
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
biofactors
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.204
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1872-8081
pISSN - 0951-6433
DOI - 10.1002/biof.5520060105
Subject(s) - methanococcus , auxotrophy , genetics , biology , transformation (genetics) , plasmid , mutant , gene , formate , computational biology , chemistry , biochemistry , escherichia coli , catalysis
Methanococcus maripaludis is a strict anaerobe that utilizes H 2 or formate as an electron donor for CO 2 reduction to methane. Recent progress in development of genetic systems in this archaebacterium makes it an excellent model system for molecular and biochemical studies. This progress includes development of methods for growth on solid medium, enriching auxotrophic mutants, efficient transformation, and random insertional inactivation of genes. Genetic markers for both puromycin and neomycin resistance are available. Lastly, a shuttle vector has been constructed from a cryptic methanococcal plasmid. These technical advances made it possible to utilize genetic approaches for the study of autotrophic CO 2 assimilation in methanococci.