Study on anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea in the coastal sediments of Shonai region

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08165
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental agriculture(including landscape science)
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Hattori Satoshi 山形大学, 農学部, 准教授 (40373352)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 古細菌 / 嫌気的メタン酸化 / メタン生成 / 難培養微生物 / 微生物菌叢

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we have investigated vertical distribution of anaerobic methane-oxidizing (ANME) archaea, cultivated methanogens derived from the coastal sediments of Shonai region. The 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis revealed that the genes related to ANME archaea were detected in the deep and middle sediment layer, whereas no ANME related sequences were detected in the surface one. The analysis also showed that the ANME2a-2b group archaea were apparently dominant in the deep sediment layer. Although it was difficult to cultivate the target archaea, we have successfully isolated several hydrogenotrophic methanogens from the deep sediment layer.

Free Research Field

微生物生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は海洋由来のメタンガスを嫌気的に分解する微生物（嫌気的メタン酸化古細菌, ANME古細菌）を対象として、庄内沿岸極浅海堆積物におけるこれらの微生物の多様性と垂直分布を明らかにしたものである。本研究によりANME2a-2bグループの古細菌が高深度の堆積物に生息していることが明らかになった。本研究で沿岸域におけるANME古細菌の生態の一端を明らかにしたことは、温室効果ガスであるメタンガス抑制の観点から学術的・社会的に意義があると考えられる。