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Aerobic methanotroph diversity in R iganqiao peatlands on the Q inghai– T ibetan P lateau
Author(s) -
Deng Yongcui,
Cui Xiaoyong,
Lüke Claudia,
Dumont Marc G.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
environmental microbiology reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.229
H-Index - 69
ISSN - 1758-2229
DOI - 10.1111/1758-2229.12046
Subject(s) - methanotroph , methane monooxygenase , biology , pyrosequencing , library , archaea , peat , abundance (ecology) , anaerobic oxidation of methane , ecology , botany , bacteria , gene , methane , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics
Summary The Z oige P lateau is characterized by its high altitude, low latitude and low annual mean temperature of approximately 1°C and is a major source of atmospheric methane in the Q inghai– T ibetan P lateau. Methanotrophs play an important role in the global cycling of CH 4 , but the diversity, identity and activity of methanotrophs in this region are poorly characterized. Soils were collected from hummocks and hollows in the Riganqiao peatland and the methanotroph community was analysed by qPCR and sequencing methane monooxygenase ( pmoA and mmoX ) genes. The pmoA genes ranged between 10 7 and 10 8 copies g −1 fresh soil, with a somewhat greater abundance in hummocks than hollows. The pmoA genes were analysed by amplicon pyrosequencing and the mmoX genes by cloning and sequencing. M ethylocystis species were found to be the most abundant methanotrophs, but numerous clades were present including three novel pmoA and three novel mmoX clusters. There were differences between the methanotroph communities in the hummocks and hollows, with the most significant being an increased abundance of uncultivated type Ib methanotrophs in the hollows. The results indicate that aerobic methanotrophs are abundant in Riganqiao peatland and include previously undetected clades in this geographically isolated and distinctive environment.