Aerobic production of methane by marine microorganisms: Can methanotrophs be methane producers?

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25340023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hirayama Hisako 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 深海・地殻内生物圏研究分野, 主任研究員 (90359167)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ホスホネート / メタン / メタノトロフ / メタン酸化菌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Phosphonates are organic phosphorus compounds containing C-P bond, and may be important phosphorus sources for marine microorganisms. It is also suggested that methylphosphonate, the simplest form of phosphonate, is a key compound in aerobic production of methane in the sea. In this study, the ability to utilize alkylphosphonates as phosphorus sources was demonstrated in some marine bacterial strains including methanotrophs by cultivation experiments. The genes related to phosphonate metabolism were found in genome sequences of two methanotrophic strains. Those genes are candidates for those encoding novel alkylphosphonate lyases.

Free Research Field

環境微生物学