Abstract
The production of methane is a ubiquitous, defining characteristic of methanogens. The production of methane or any other hydrocarbon as a major catabolic product is unique to this group of microbes, which share many other characteristics that are not common among other microbes. Phylogenetically, methanogens are Archaeobacteria (Woese et al., 1978), a group of microbes that are distinguished from true bacteria by a number of characteristics, including the possession of membrane lipids composed of isoprenoids ether-linked to glycerol or other carbohydrates (De Rosa and Gambacorta, 1988; Jones et al., 1987; Langworthy, 1985), a lack of peptidoglycan containing muramic acid (Kandier and Hippe, 1977), and distinctive ribosomal RNA sequences (Balch et al., 1979; Woese, 1987). This group also includes some extreme halophiles and some extremely thermophilic, sulfur-dependent microbes (Woese, 1987) and is phylogenetically distinct from eukaryotes and true bacteria (Figure 1.1).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Archer, D. B., and N. R. King. 1983. A novel ultrastructural feature of a gas-vacuolated Methanosarcina. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 16:217–223.
Balen, W. E., G. E. Fox, L. J. Magrum, C. R. Woese, and R. S. Wolfe. 1979. Methanogens: reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol. Rev. 40:260–296.
Barker, H. A. 1936. Studies upon the methane-producing bacteria. Arch. Mikrobiol. 7:420–438.
Belyaev, S. S., A. Y. Obraztsova, K. S. Laurinavichus, and L. V. Bezrukova. 1986. Characteristics of rod-shaped methane-producing bacteria from an oil pool and description of Methanobacterium ivanovii sp. nov. Mikrobiologiya (Engl. Trans.) 55:821–826.
Belyaev, S. S., R. Wolkin, W. R. Kenealy, M. J. DeNiro, S. Epstein, and J. G. Zeikus. 1983. Methanogenic bacteria from the Bondyuzhskoe oil field: general characterization and analysis of stable-carbon isotopic fractionation. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45:691–697.
Biavati, B., M. Vasta, and J. G. Ferry. 1988. Isolation and characterization of “Methanosphaera cuniculi” sp. nov. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:768–771.
Bleicher, K., G. Zellner, and J. Winter. 1989. Growth of methanogens on cyclopentanol/CO2 and specificity of alcohol dehydrogenase. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 59:307–312.
Blotevogel, K.-H., and U. Fischer. 1985. Isolation and characterization of a new thermophilic and autotrophic methane producing bacterium: Methanobacterium thermoaggregans spec. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 142:218–222.
Blotevogel, K.-H., and U. Fischer. 1989. Transfer of Methanococcus frisius to the genus Methanosarcina as Methanosarcina frisia comb. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39:91–92.
Blotevogel, K.-H., U. Fischer, and K. H. Lüpkes. 1986. Methanococcus frisius sp. nov., a new methylotrophic marine methanogen. Can. J. Microbiol. 32:127–131.
Blotevogel, K.-H., U. Fischer, M. Mocha, and S. Jannsen. 1985. Methanobacterium thermoalcaliphilum spec. nov., a new moderately alkiliphilic and thermophilic autotrophic methanogen. Arch. Microbiol. 142:211–217.
Boone, D. R. 1987. Replacement of the type strain of Methanobacteriwn formicicum and reinstatement of Methanobacteriwn bryantii sp. nov. nom. rev. (ex Balch and Wolfe, 1981) with M.o.H. (DSM 863) as the type strain. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:172–173.
Boone, D. R. 1991. Strain GP6 is proposed as the neotype strain of Methanothrix soehngenii VP pro synon. Methanothrix concilii VP and Methanosaeta concilii VP.Request for an opinion. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41:588–589.
Boone, D. R., R. L. Johnson, and Y. Liu. 1989. Diffusion of the interspecies electron carriers H2 and formate in methanogenic ecosystems and implications in the measurement of Km for H2 or formate uptake. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55:1735–1741.
Boone, D. R., and R. A. Mah. 1989. Themethanogens. In Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, vol. 3, J. T. Staley, M. P. Bryant, N. Pfennig, and H. G. Holt (eds.), p. 2173. William & Wilkins, Baltimore.
Boone, D. R., and W. B. Whitman. 1988. Proposal of minimal standards for describing new taxa of methanogenic bacteria. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 38:212–219.
Boone, D. R., S. Worakit, I. M. Mathrani, and R. A. Mah. 1986. Alkaliphilic methanogens from high-pH lake sediments. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 7:230–234.
Brandis, A., R. K. Thauer, and K. O. Stetter. 1981. Relatedness of strains ΔH and Marburg of Methanobacteriwn thermoautotrophicum. Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Parasitenkd. Infektionskr. Hyg. Abt. I Orig. Reihe C 1:311–317.
Brusa, T., R. Conca, A. Ferrara, A. Ferrari, and A. Pecchioni. 1987. Presence of methanobacteria in human subgingival plaque. J. Clin. Periodontol. 14:470–471.
Bryant, M. P. 1974. Methane-producing bacteria. In Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, eighth edition, R. E. Buchanan and N. E. Gibbons (eds.) pp. 472–477. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.
Bryant, M. P., and D. R. Boone. 1987a. Emended description of strain MST (DSM 800T), the type strain of Methanosarcina barkeri. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:169–170.
Bryant, M. P., and D. R. Boone. 1987b. Isolation and characterization of Methanobacteriwn formicicum MF. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:171.
Bryant, M. P., S. F. Tzeng, I. M. Robinson, and A. E. Joyner Jr. 1971. Nutrient requirements of methanogenic bacteria. Adv. Chem. Ser. 105:23–40.
Bryant, M. P., E. A. Wolin, M. J. Wolin, and R. S. Wolfe. 1967. Methanobacillus omelianskii, a symbiotic association of two species of bacteria. Arch. Mikrobiol. 59:20–31.
Burggraf, S., A. Ching, K. O. Stetter, and C. R. Woese. 1991a. The sequence of Methanospirillum hungatei 23S rRNA confirms the specific relationship between the extreme halophiles and the Methanomicrobiales. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 14:358–363.
Burggraf, S., H. Fricke, A. Neuner, J. Kristjansson, P. Rouvière, L. Mandelco, C. R. Woese, and K. O. Stetter. 1990. Methanococcus igneus sp. nov., a novel hyperthermophilic methanogen from a shallow submarine hydrothermal system. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 13:263–269.
Burggraf, S., K. O. Stetter, P. Rouviére, and C. R. Woese. 1991b. Methanopyrus kandieri: an archaeal methanogen unrelated to all other known methanogens. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 14:346–351.
Chumakov, K. M., T. N. Zhilina, I. S. Zvyaginntseva, A. L. Tarasov, and G. A. Zavarzin. 1987. 5S RNA in archaebacteria. Zhurnal obstchey biologi 48:167–181. (Russ.)
Cicerone, R. J., and R. S. Oremland. 1988. Biogeochemical aspects of atmospheric methane. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 2:299–327.
Colwell, R. R., M. T. MacDonell, and J. De Ley. 1986. Proposal to recognize the family Aeromonadaceae fam. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 36:473–477.
Conway de Macario, E., M. J. Wolin, and A. J. L. Macario. 1981. Immunology of archaebacteria that produce methane gas. Science 214:74–75.
Corder, R. E., L. A. Hook, J. M. Larkin, and J. I. Frea. 1983. Isolation and characterization of two new methane-producing cocci: Methanogenium olentangyi, sp. nov., and Methanococcus deltae, sp. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 134:28–32.
De Rosa, M., and A. Gambacorta. 1988. The lipids of archaebacteria. Prog. Lipid Res. 27:153–175.
De Smedt, J., M. Bauwens, R. Tytgat, and J. De Ley. 1980. Intra- and intergeneric similarities of ribosomal ribonucleic acid cistrons of free-living, nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 30:106–122.
De Smedt, J., and J. De Ley. 1977. Intra- and intergeneric similarities of Agrobacterium ribosomal ribonucleic acid cistrons. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 27:222–240.
Derikx, P. J. L., G. A. H. de Jong, H. J. M. Opden Camp, C. van der Drift, L. J. L. D. van Griensven, and G. D. Vogels. 1989. Isolation and characterization of thermophilic methanogenic bacteria from mushroom compost. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 62:251–258.
Devereux, R., S.-H. He, C. L. Doyle, S. Orkland, D. A. Stahl, J. LeGall, and W. B. Whitman. 1990. Diversity and origin of Desulfovibrio species: phylogenetic definition of a family. J. Bacteriol. 172:3609–3619.
Dewhirst, F. E., and B. J. Paster, and P. L. Bright. 1989. Chromobacterium, Eikenella, Kingella, Neisseria, Simonsiella, and Vitreoscilla species comprise a major branch of the beta group Proteobacteria by 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequence comparison: transfer of Eikenella and Simonsiella to the family Neisseriaceae (emend.). Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39:258–266.
Dewhirst, F. E., B. J. Paster, I. Olsen, and G. J. Fraser. 1992. Phylogeny of 54 representative strains of species in the family Pasteurellaceae as determined by comparison of 16S rRNA sequences. J. Bacteriol. 174:2002–2013.
Ellermann, J., R. Hedderich, R. Bocher, and R. K. Thauer. 1988. The final step in methane formation; investigations with highly purified methyl-CoM reductase (component C) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg). Eur. J. Biochem. 172:669–677.
Ferguson, T. J., and R. A. Mah. 1983. Isolation and characterization of an H2-oxidizing thermophilic methanogen. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45:265–274.
Ferry, J. G., P. H. Smith, and R. S. Wolfe. 1974. Methanospirilium, a new genus of methanogenic bacteria, and characterization of Methanospirillum hungatii sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 24:465–469.
Ferry, J. G., and R. S. Wolfe. 1977. Nutritional and biochemical characterization of Methanospirillum hungatii. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 34:371–376.
Fox, G. E., and E. Stackebrandt. 1987. The application of 16S rRNA cataloguing and 5S rRNA sequencing in bacterial systematics. Meth. Microbiol. 19:405–458.
Fry, N. K., S. Warwick, N. A. Saunders, and T. M. Embley. 1991. The use of 16S ribosomal RNA analyses to investigate the phylogeny of the family Legionellaceae. J. Gen. Microbiol. 137:1215–1222.
Gillis, M., and J. De Ley. 1980. Intra- and intergeneric similarities of the ribosomal ribonucleic acid cistrons of Acetobacter and Gluconobacter. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 30:7–27.
Grimont, P. A. D., M. Y. Popoff, F. Grimont, C. Coynault, and M. Lemelin. 1980. Reproducibility and correlation study of three deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization procedures. Curr. Microbiol. 4:325–330.
Harris, J. E., P. A. Pinn, and R. P. Davis. 1984. Isolation and characterization of a novel thermophilic, freshwater methanogen. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 48:1123–1128.
Hatchikian, E. C., M. L. Fardeau, M. Bruschi, J. P. Belaich, A. Chapman, and R. Cammack. 1989. Isolation, characterization, and biological activity of the Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus ferredoxin. J. Bacteriol. 171:2384–2390.
Hippe, H., D. Caspari, K. Fiebig, and G. Gottschalk. 1979. Utilization of trimethylamine and other N-methyl compounds for growth and methane formation by Methanosarcina barkeri. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:494–498.
Huber, H., M. Thomm, H. König, G. Thies, and K. O. Stetter. 1982. Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus, a novel thermophilic lithotrophic methanogen. Arch. Microbiol. 132:47–50.
Hungate, R. E., W. Smith, T. Bauchop, I. K. Yu, and J. C. Rabinowitz. 1970. Formate as an intermediate in the bovine rumen fermentation. J. Bacteriol. 102:389–397.
Huser, B. A., K. Wuhrmann, and A. J. B. Zehnder. 1982. Methanothrix soehngenii gen. nov. sp. nov., a new acetotrophic non-hydrogen-oxidizing methane bacterium. Arch. Microbiol. 132:1–9.
Jain, M. K., T. E. Thompson, E. Conway de Macario, and J. G. Zeikus. 1987. Speciation of Methanobacterium strain Ivanov as Methanobacterium ivanovii, sp. nov. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 9:77–82.
Jarrell, K. F., and S. F. Koval. 1989. Ultrastructure and biochemistry of Methanococcus voltae. CRC Crit. Rev. Microbiol. 17:53–87.
Johnson, J. L. 1984. Nucleic acids in bacterial classification. In Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, vol. 1, N. R. Krieg (ed.), pp. 8–11. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.
Jones, J. B., and T. C. Stadtman. 1975. Methanococcus vannielii growth and metabolism of formate. In Microbial production and utilization of gases, H. G. Schlegel, G. Gottschalk and N. Pfennig (eds.), pp. 199–205. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Göttingen.
Jones, W. J., J. A. Leigh, F. Mayer, C. R. Woese, and R. S. Wolfe. 1983a. Methanococcus jannaschii sp. nov., an extremely thermophilic methanogen from a submarine hydrothermal vent. Arch. Microbiol. 136:254–261.
Jones, W. J., D. P. Nagel, Jr., and W. B. Whitman. 1987. Methanogens and the diversity of archaebacteria. Microbiol. Rev. 51:135–177.
Jones, W. J., M. J. B. Paynter, and R. Gupta. 1983b. Characterization of Methanococcus maripaludis sp. nov., a new methanogen isolated from salt marsh sediment. Arch. Microbiol. 135:91–97.
Jones, W. J., C. E. Stugard, and H. W. Jannasch. 1989. Comparison of thermophilic methanogens from submarine hydrothermal vents. Arch. Microbiol. 151:314–319.
Kamagata, Y., H. Kawasaki, H. Oyzizu, K. Nakamura, E. Mikami, G. Endo, Y. Koga, and K. Yamasato. 1992. Characterization of three thermophilic strains of Methanothrix (“Methanosaeta”) thermophila sp. nov. and rejection of Methanothrix (“Methanosaeta”) thermoacetophila. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 42:463–468.
Kamagata, Y., and E. Mikami. 1991. Isolation and characterization of a novel thermophilic Methanosaeta strain. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41:191–196.
Kandier, O., and H. Hippe. 1977. Lack of peptidoglycan in the cell walls of Methanosarcina barken. Arch. Microbiol. 113:57–60.
Kiene, R. P., R. S. Oremland, A. Catena, L. G. Miller, D. G. Capone. 1986. Metabolism of reduced methylated sulfur compounds in anaerobic sediments and by a pure culture of an estuarine methanogen. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 52:1037–1045.
Kneifel, H., K. O. Stetter, J. R. Andreesen, J. Wiegel, H. König, and S. M. Schoberth. 1986. Distribution of polyamines in representative species of archaebacteria. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 7:241–245.
Koga, Y., M. Ohga, M. Nishihara, and H. Morii. 1987. Distribution of a diphytanyl ether analog of phosphatidylserine and an ethanolamine-containing tetraether lipid in methanogenic bacteria. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 9:176–182.
König, H. 1984. Isolation and characterization of Methanobacterium uliginosum sp. nov. from a marshy soil. Can. J. Microbiol. 30:1477–1481.
König, H., and K. O. Stetter. 1982. Isolation and characterization of Methanolobus tindarius sp. nov., a coccoid methanogen growing only on methanol and methylamines. Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Parasitenkd. Infektionskr. Hyg. Abt. 1 Orig. Reihe C 3:478–490.
Kühner, C. H., S. S. Smith, K. M. Noll, R. S. Tanner, and R. S. Wolfe. 1991. 7-mercaptoheptanoylthreonine phosphate substitutes for heat-stable factor (mobile factor) for growth of Methanomicrobium mobile. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 57:2891–2895.
Kurr, M., R. Huber, H. König, J. W. Jannasch, H. Fricke, A. Trincone, J. K. Kristjansson, and K. O. Stetter. 1991. Methanopyrus kandieri, gen. nov. and sp. nov. represents a novel group of hyperthermophilic methanogens, growing at 110°C. Arch. Microbiol. 156:239–247.
Langworthy, T. A. 1985. Lipids of archaebacteria. In The bacteria, vol. 8, C. R. Woese, and R. S. Wolfe (eds.), pp. 459–497. Academic Press, New York.
Lauerer, G., J. K. Kristjansson, T. A. Langworthy, H. König, and K. O. Stetter. 1986. Methanothermus sociabilis sp. nov., a second species within the Methanothermaceae growing at 97°C. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 8:100–105.
Laurinavichyus, K. S., S. V. Kotelnikova, and A. Y. Obraztsova. 1988. New species of thermophilic methane-producing bacteria. Mikrobiologiya 57:1035–1041.
Liu, Y., D. R. Boone, and C. Choy. 1990. Methanohalophilus oregonense sp. nov., a methylotrophic methanogen from an alkaline, saline aquifer. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 40:111–16
Liu, Y., D. R. Boone, R. Sleat, and R. A. Mah. 1985. Methanosarcina mazei LYC, a new methanogenic isolate which produces a disaggregating enzyme. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 49:608–613.
Lovely, D. R., R. C. Greening, and J. G. Ferry. 1984. Rapidly growing rumen methanogenic organism that synthesizes coenzyme M and has a high affinity for formate. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 48:81–87.
Lysenko, A. M., and T. N. Zhilina. 1985. Taxonomic position of Methanosarcina vacuolata and Methanococcus halophilus determined by the technique of DNA-DNA hybridization. Mikrobiologiya 54:501–502.
Maestrojuán, G. M., and D. R. Boone. 1991. Characterization of Methanosarcina barkeri MST and 227, Methanosarcina mazei S-6T, and Methanosarcina vacuolata Z-761T. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41:267–274.
Maestrojuán, G. M., D. R. Boone, L. Xun, R. A. Mah, and L. Zhang. 1990. Transfer of Methanogenium bourgense, Methanogenium marisnigri, Methanogenium olentangyi, and Methanoculleus gen. nov., emendation of Methanoculleus marisnigri and Methanogenium, and description of new strains of Methanoculleus bourgense and Methanoculleus marisnigri. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 40:117–122.
Mah, R. A. 1980. Isolation and characterization of Methanococcus mazei. Curr. Microbiol. 3:321–326.
Mah, R. A., and D. A. Kuhn. 1984. Transfer of the type species of the genus Methanococcus to the genus Methanosarcina, naming it Methanosarcina mazei (Barker 1936) comb. nov. et emend., and conservation of the genus Methanococcus with Methanococcus vannielii as the type species. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 34:263–265.
Martinez-Murcia, A. J., Benlloch, S., and Collins, M. D. 1992. Phylogenetic interrelationships of members of the genera Aeromonas and Plesiomonas as determined by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing: lack of congruence with results of DNA-DNA hybridizations. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 42:412–421.
Mathrani, I. M., and D. R. Boone. 1985. Isolation and characterization of a moderately halophilic methanogen from a solar saltern. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 50:140–143.
Mathrani, I. M., D. R. Boone, R. A. Man, G. E. Fox, and P. P. Lau. 1988. Methanohalophilus zhilinae sp. nov., an alkaliphilic, halophilic, methylotrophic methanogen. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 38:139–142.
Miller, T. L. 1989. Genus II. Methanobrevibacter, p. 2178–2183. In J. T. Staley (ed.), Bergey’ s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, Vol. 3. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.
Miller, T. L., and M. J. Wolin. 1983. Oxidation of hydrogen and reduction of methanol to methane is the sole energy source for a methanogen isolated from human feces. J. Bacteriol. 153:1051–1055.
Miller, T. L., and M. J. Wolin. 1985. Methanosphaera stadtmaniae gen. nov., sp. nov.: a species that forms methane by reducing methanol with hydrogen. Arch. Microbiol. 141:116–122.
Miller, T. L., and M. J. Wolin. 1986. Methanogens in human and animal intestinal tracts. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 7:223–229.
Miller, T. L., M. J. Wolin, E. Conway de Macario, and A. J. L. Macario. 1982. Isolation of Methanobrevibacter smithii from human feces. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 43:227–232.
Miller, T. L., M. J. Wolin, Z. Hongxue, and M. P. Bryant. 1986. Characteristics of methanogens isolated from bovine rumen. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 51:201–202.
Misawa, H., T. Hoshi, F. Kitame, M. Homma, and K. Nakamura. 1986. Isolation of an antigenically unique methanogen from human feces. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 51:429–431.
Murray, P. A., and S.U. Zinder. 1985. Nutritional requirements of Methanosarcina sp. strain TM-1. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 50:49–55.
Ni, S., and D. R. Boone. 1991. Isolation and characterization of a dimethylsulfide- degrading methanogen, Methanolobus siciliae HI350, from an oil well, characterization of M. siciliae T4/MT, and emendation of M. siciliae. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41:410–416.
Nozhevnikova, A. N., and V. I. Chudina. 1984. Morphology of the thermophilic acetate methane bacterium Methanothrix thermoacetophila sp. nov. Arch. Mikrobiol. Zh. 53:756–760.
Nozhevnikova, A. N., and T. G. Yagodina. 1982. A thermophilic acetate methane-producing bacterium. Mikrobiologiya (Engl. Transl.) 51:534–541.
Obraztsova, A. Y., O. V. Shipin, L. V. Bezrukova, and S. S. Belyaev. 1987. Properties of the coccoid methylotrophic methanogen, Methanococcoides euhalobius sp. nov. Mikrobiologiya (Engl. Transl.) 56:523–527.
Ollivier, B., A. Lombardo, and J. L. Garcia. 1984. Isolation and characterization of a new thermophilic Methanosarcina strain (strain MP). Ann. Microbiol. (Inst. Pasteur) 135B:187–198.
Ollivier, B. M., R. A. Mah, J. L. Garcia, and D. R. Boone. 1986. Isolation and characterization of Methanogenium bourgense sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 36:297–301.
Ollivier, B. M., R. A. Mah, J. L. Garcia, and R. Robinson. 1985. Isolation and characterization of Methanogenium aggregans sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 35:127–130.
Oremland, R. S., R. P. Kiene, I. M. Mathrani, M. J. Whiticar, and D. R. Boone. 1989. Description of an estuarine methylotrophic methanogen which grows on dimethyl sulfide. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55:994–1002.
Patel, G. B. 1984. Characterization and nutritional properties of Methanothrix concilii sp. nov., a mesophilic, aceticlastic methanogen. Can. J. Microbiol. 30:1383–1396.
Patel, G. B. 1992. A contrary view of the proposal to assign a neotype strain for Methanothrix soehngenii. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 42:324–326.
Patel, G. B., and L. A. Roth. 1977. Effect of sodium chloride on growth and methane production of methanogens. Can. J. Microbiol. 23:893–897.
Patel, G. B., L. A. Roth, L. van den Berg, and D. S. Clark. 1976. Characterization of a strain of Methanospirillum hungatii. Can. J. Microbiol. 22:1404–1410.
Patel, G. B., and G. D. Sprott. 1990. Methanosaeta concilii gen. nov., sp. nov. (“Methanothrix concilii”) and Methanosaeta thermoacetophila nom. rev., comb. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 40:79–82.
Patel, G. B., G. D. Sprott, and J. E. Fein. 1990. Isolation and characterization of Methanobacterium espanolae sp. nov., a mesophilic, moderately acidiphilic methanogen. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 40:12–18.
Paterek, J. R., and P. H. Smith. 1985. Isolation and characterization of a halophilic methanogen from Great Salt Lake. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 50:877–881.
Paterek, J. R., and P. H. Smith. 1988. Methanohalophilus mahii gen. nov., sp. nov., a methylotrophic halophilic methanogen. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 38:122–123.
Paynter, M. J. B., and R. E. Hungate. 1968. Characterization of Methanobacterium mobilis, sp. n., isolated from the bovine rumen. J. Bacteriol. 95:1943–1951.
Rivard, C. J., J. M. Henson, M. V. Thomas, and P. H. Smith. 1983. Isolation and characterization of Methanomicrobium paynteri sp. nov., a mesophilic methanogen isolated from marine sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 46:484–490.
Rivard, C. J., and P. H. Smith. 1982. Isolation and characterization of a thermophilic marine methanogenic bacterium, Methanogenium thermophilicum sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 32:430–436.
Romesser, J. A., R. S. Wolfe, F. Mayer, E. Speiss, and A. Walther-Mauruschat. 1979. Methanogenium, a. new genus of marine methanogenic bacteria, and characterization of Methanogenium cariaci sp. nov. and Methanogenium marisnigri sp. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 121:147–153.
Rossau, R., G van den Bussche, S. Thielemans, P. Segers, H. Grosch, E. Gothe, W. Mannheim, and J. De Ley. 1989. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid cistron similarities and deoxyribonucleic acid homologies of Neisseria, Kingella, Eikenella, Simonsiella, Alysiella, and Centers for Disease Control groups EF-4 and M-5 in the emended family Neisseriaceae. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39:185–198.
Rouvière, P. E., T. A. Bobik, and R. S. Wolfe. 1988. Reductive activation of the methyl coenzyme M methylreductase system of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum ΔH. J. Bacteriol. 170:3946–3952.
Rouvière, P. E., L. C. Mandelco, and C. R. Woese. 1991. Phylogenetic analysis of methanogenic bacteria, In Microbiology and biochemistry of strict anaerobes involved in interspecies hydrogen transfer, J. P. Bélaich, M. Bruschi, and J. L. Garcia (eds.), p. 467. Plenum Press, New York.
Rouvière, P. E., and R. S. Wolfe. 1988. Novel biochemistry of methanogenesis. J. Biol. Chem. 263:7913–7916.
Scherer, P. A., and H. Sahm. 1981. Influence of sulphur-containing compounds on the growth of Methanosarcina barkeri in defined medium. Eur. J. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 12:28–35.
Schnellen, C. G. T. P. 1947. Onderzoekingen over de methaangisting, p. 1–137. Ph.D. thesis, Delft.
Smith, P. H., and R. E. Hungate. 1958. Isolation and characterization of Methanobacterium ruminantium n. sp. J. Bacteriol. 75:713–718.
Sneath, P. H. A. (ed.). 1992. Bacteriological code, 1990 revision. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.
Sowers, K. R., S. F. Baron, and J. G. Ferry. 1984a. Methanosarcina acetivorans sp. nov., an acetotrophic methane-producing bacterium isolated from marine sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47:971–978.
Sowers, K. R., and J. G. Ferry. 1983. Isolation and characterization of a methylotrophic marine methanogen, Methanococcoides methylutens gen. nov., sp. nov. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 45:684–690.
Sowers, K. R., and J. G. Ferry. 1985. Trace metal and vitamin requirements of Methanococcoides methylutens grown with trimethylamine. Arch. Microbiol. 142:148–151.
Sowers, K. R., and R. P. Gunsalus. 1988. Adaptation for growth at various saline concentrations by the archaebacterium Methanosarcina thermophila. J. Bacteriol. 170:998–1002.
Sowers, K. R., J. L. Johnson, and J. G. Ferry. 1984b. Phylogenetic relationships among the methylotrophic methane-producing bacteria and emendation of the family Methanosarcinaceae. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 34:444–450.
Stadtman, T. C., and H. A. Barker. 1951. Studies on the methane fermentation. X. A new formate-decomposing bacterium, Methanococcus vannielii. J. Bacteriol. 62:269–280.
Stetter, K. O. 1989. Genus II. Methanolobus König and Stetter 1983, 439, p. 2205–2207. In J. T. Staley, M. P. Bryant, N. Pfennig, and H. G. Holt (ed.), Bergey’s manual of systematic bacteriology, vol. 3. William & Wilkins, Baltimore.
Stetter, K. O., M. Thomm, J. Winter, G. Wildgruber, H. Huber, W. Zillig, D. Janécovic, H. König, P. Palm, and S. Wunderl. 1981. Methanothermus fervidus, sp. nov., a novel extremely thermophilic methanogen isolated from an Icelandic hot spring. Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Parasitenkd. Infektionskr. Hyg. Abt. 1 Orig. Reihe C 2:166–178.
Tanner, R. S., and R. S. Wolfe. 1988. Nutrient requirements of Methanomicrobium mobile. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:625–628.
Thiele, J. H., and J. G. Zeikus. 1988. Control of interspecies electron flow during anaerobic digestion: significance of formate transfer versus hydrogen transfer during syntrophic methanogenesis in floes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:20–29.
Touzel, J. P., and G. Albagnac. 1983. Isolation and characterization of Methanococcus mazei strain MC3. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 16:241–245.
Touzel, J. P., E. Conway de Macario, J. Nölling, W. M. de Vos, T. N. Zhilina, and A. M. Lysenko. 1992. DNA relatedness among some thermophilic members of the genus Methanobacterium: emendation of the species Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and rejection of Methanobacterium thermoformicicum as a synonym of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 42:408–411.
Touzel, J. P., D. Petroff, and G. Albagnac. 1985. Isolation and characterization of a new thermophilic Methanosarcina, the strain CHTI 55. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 6:66–71.
Touzel, J. P., G. Prensier, J. L. Roustan, I. Thomas, H. C. Dubourguier, and G. Albagnac. 1988. Description of a new strain of Methanothrix soehngenii and rejection of Methanothrix concilii as a synonym of Methanothrix soehngenii. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 38:30–36.
Van Bruggen, J. J. A., K. B. Zwart, J. G. F. Hermans, E. M. van Hove, C. K. Stumm, and G. D. Vogels. 1986. Isolation and characterization of Methanoplanus endosymbiosus sp. nov., an endosymbiont of the marine sapropelic ciliate Metopus contortus Quennerstedt. Arch. Microbiol. 144:367–374.
Ward, J. M., P. H. Smith, and D. R. Boone. 1989. Emended description of strain PS (= 0GC 70 = ATCC 33273 = DSM 1537), the type strain of Methanococcus voltae. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39:493–494.
Wayne, L. G., D. J. Brenner, R. R. Colwell, P. A. D. Grimont, O. Kandier, M. I. Krichevsky, L. H. Moore, W. E. C. Moore, R. G. E. Murray, E. Stackebrandt, M. P. Starr, and H. G. Trüper. 1987. Report of the ad hoc committee on reconciliation of approaches to bacterial systematics. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:463–464.
Whitman, W. B. 1989. Methanococcales. In Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, vol. 3, J. T. Staley, M. P. Bryant, and N. Pfennig (eds.), pp. 2185–2190. Williams & Wilkens, Baltimore.
Whitman, W. B., E. Ankwanda, and R. S. Wolfe. 1982. Nutrition and carbon metabolism of Methanococcus voltae. J. Bacteriol. 149:852–863.
Whitman, W. B., T. L. Bowen, and D. R. Boone. 1991. The methanogenic bacteria, In The Prokaryotesy A. Balows, H. G. Truper, M. Dworkin, W. Harder and K. J. Schleifer (eds.), pp. 719–767, Springer Verlag, New York.
Whitman, W. B., J. Shieh, S. Sohn, D. S. Caras, and U. Premachandran. 1986. Isolation and characterization of 22 mesophilic methanococci. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 7:235–240.
Whitman, W. B., S. H. Sohn, S. U. Kuk, R. Y. Xing. 1987. Role of amino acids and vitamins in nutrition of mesophilic Methanococcus sp. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 53:2373–2378.
Widdel, F. 1986. Growth of methanogenic bacteria in pure culture with 2-propanol and other alcohols as hydrogen donors. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 51:1056–1062.
Widdel, F., P. E. Rouvière, and R. S. Wolfe. 1988. Classification of secondary alcoholutilizing methanogens including a new thermophilic isolate. Arch. Microbiol. 150:477–481.
Wildgruber, G., M. Thomm, H. König, K. Ober, T. Ricchiuto, and K. O. Stetter. 1982. Methanoplanus limicola, a plate-shaped methanogen representing a novel family, the Methanoplanaceae. Arch. Microbiol. 132:31–36.
Wilharm, T., T. N. Zhilina, and P. Hummel. 1991. DNA-DNA hybridization of methylotrophic halophilic methanogenic bacteria and transfer of Methanococcus halophilus VP to Methanohalophilus as Methanohalophilus halophilus comb. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 41:558–562.
Winkler, S., and C. R. Woese. 1991. A definition of the domains Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya in terms of small subunit ribosomal RNA characteristics. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 14:305–310.
Winter, J., C. Lerp, H.-P. Zabel, F. X. Wildenauer, H. König, and F. Schindler. 1984. Methanobacterium wolfei, sp. nov., a new tungsten-requiring, thermophilic, autotrophic methanogen. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 5:457–466.
Woese, C. R. 1987. Bacterial evolution. Microbiol. Rev. 51:221–271.
Woese, C. R., O. Kandier, and M. L. Wheelis. 1990. Towards a natural system of organisms: proposal for the domains Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:4576–4579.
Woese, C. R., L. J. Magrum, and G. E. Fox. 1978. Archaebacteria. J. Mol. Evol. 11:245–252.
Woese, C. R., and R. S. Wolfe (ed.). 1985. The bacteria, vol. 8, Archaebacteria. Academic Press, New York.
Wolin, M. J. 1976. Interactions between H2-producing and methane producing species. In Microbial formation and utilization of gases (H 2 , CH 4 , CO), H. G. Schlegel, G. Gottschalk, and N. Pfennig (eds.), pp. 141–150. Goltze KG, Göttingen.
Worakit, S., D. R. Boone, R. A. Mah, M.-E. Abdel-Samie, and M. M. El-Halwagi. 1986. Methanobacterium alcaliphilum sp. nov., an H2-utilizing methanogen that grows at high pH values. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 36:380–382.
Xun, L., D. R. Boone, and R. A. Mah. 1989. Deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization study of Methanogenium and Methanocorpusculum species, emendation of the genus Methanocorpusculum, and transfer of Methanogenium aggregans to the genus Methanocorpusculum as Methanocorpusculum aggregans comb. nov. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39:109–111.
Yamamato, K. A., Tachibana, G. Dhavises, T. Tanaka, M. Taniguchi, and S. Oi. 1989. Characterization of a thermophilic formate-utilizing methanogen, Methanobacterium thermoformicicum strain SF-4. Agric. Biol. Chem. 53: 533–534.
Yu, I. K., and F. Kawamura. 1987. Halomethanococcus doii gen. nov., sp. nov.: an obligately halophilic methanogenic bacterium from solar salt ponds. J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol. 33:303–310.
Zabel, H.-P., H. König, and J. Winter. 1984. Isolation and characterization of a new coccoid methanogen, Methanogenium tatii spec, nov., from a solfataric field on Mount Tatio. Arch. Microbiol. 137:308–315.
Zabel, H.-P., H. König, and J. Winter. 1985. Emended description of Methanogenium thermophilicum, Rivard and Smith, and assignment of new isolates to this species. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 6:72–78.
Zehnder, A. J. B., B. A. Huser, T. D. Brock, and K. Wuhrmann. 1980. Characterization of an acetate-decarboxylating, non-hydrogen-oxidizing methane bacterium. Arch. Microbiol. 124:1–11.
Zeikus, J. G., and D. L. Henning. 1975. Methanobacterium arboriphilum sp. nov., an obligate anaerobe isolated from wetwood of living trees. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 41:543–552.
Zeikus, J. G., and R. S. Wolfe. 1972. Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicus sp. n., an anaerobic, autotrophic, extreme thermophile. J. Bacteriol. 109:707–713.
Zellner, G., C. Alten, E. Stackebrandt, E. Conway de Macario, and J. Winter. 1987. Isolation and characterization of Methanocorpusculumparvum, gen. nov., spec, nov., a new tungsten requiring, coccoid methanogen. Arch. Microbiol. 147:13–20.
Zellner, G., K. Bleicher, E. Braun, H. Kneifel, B. J. Tindall, E. Conway de Macario, and J. Winter. 1989a. Characterization of a new mesophilic, secondary alcohol-utilizing methanogen, Methanobacterium palustre spec., nov. from a peat bog. Arch. Microbiol. 151:1–9.
Zellner, G. E., P. Messner, H. Kneifel, B. J. Tindall, J. Winter, and E. Stackebrandt. 1989b. Methanolacinia gen. nov., incorporating Methanomicrobium paynteri as Methanolacinia paynteri comb. nov. J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol. 35:185–202.
Zellner, G., U. G. Sleytr, P. Messner, H. Kneifel, and J. Winter. 1990. Methanogenium liminatans spec. nov., a new coccoid, mesophilic methanogenable to oxidize secondary alcohols. Arch. Microbiol. 153:287–293.
Zellner, G., E. Stackebrandt, P. Messner, B. J. Tindall, E. Conway de Macario, H. Kneifel, and U. B. Sleytr. 1989c. Methanocorpusculaceae fam. nov., represented by Methanocorpusculum parvum, Methanocorpusculum sinense spec. nov. and Methanocorpusculum bavaricum spec. nov. Arch. Microbiol. 151:381–390.
Zellner, G., and J. Winter. 1987a. Secondary alcohols as hydrogen donors for CO2-reduction by methanogens. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 44:323–328.
Zhao, Y., D. R. Boone, R. A. Man, J. E. Boone, and L. Xun. 1989. Isolation and characterization of Methanocorpusculum labreanum sp. nov. from the LaBrea tar pits. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 39:10–13.
Zhao, Y., A. G. Wood, F. Widdel, and M. P. Bryant. 1988. An extremely thermophilic Methanococcus from a deep sea hydrothermal vent and its plasmid. Arch. Microbiol. 150:178–183.
Zhao, Y., H. Zhang, D. R. Boone, and R. A. Mah. 1986. Isolation and characterization of a fast-growing, thermophilic Methanobacterium species. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 52:1227–1229.
Zhilina, T. N. 1976. Biotypes of methanosarcina. Microbiology (Russ.) 45:481–489.
Zhilina, T. N. 1983. New obligate halophilic methane-producing bacterium. Microbiology (Engl. Transl.) 52:290–297.
Zhilina, T. N. 1986. Methanogenic bacteria from hypersaline environments. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 7:216–222.
Zhilina, T. N., and S. A. Ilarionov. 1985. Characteristics of formate-assimilating methane bacteria and description of Methanobacterium thermoformicicum sp. nov. Microbiology (Engl. Trans.) 53:647–651.
Zhilina, T. N., and T. P. Svetlichnaya. 1989. The ultrafine structure of Methanohalobium evestigatum an extreme halophilic bacterium producing methane. Microbiology (Russ.) 58:312–318.
Zhilina, T. N., and G. A. Zavarzin. 1979a. Comparative cytology of methanosarcinae and description of Methanosarcina vacuolata sp. nova. Microbiology (Engl. Transl.) 48:223–228.
Zhilina, T. N., and G. A. Zavarzin. 1987a. Methanosarcina vacuolata sp. nov., a vacuolated species of methanosarcina. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37:281–283.
Zhilina, T. N., and G. A. Zavarzin. 1987b. Methanohalobium evestigatus, n. gen., n. sp., the extremely halophilic methanogenic Archaebacterium. Dokl. Akad. Nauk USSR 293:464–468.
Zinder, S. H., T. Anguish, and A. L. Lobo. 1987. Isolation and characterization of a thermophilic acetotrophic strain of Methanothrix. Arch. Microbiol. 146:315–322.
Zinder, S. H., and R. A. Mah. 1979. Isolation and characterization of a thermophilic strain of Methanosarcina unable to use H2-CO2 for methanogenesis. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 38:996–1008.
Zinder, S. H., K. R. Sowers, and J. G. Ferry. 1985. Methanosarcina thermophila sp. nov., a thermophilic, acetotrophic, methane-producing bacterium. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 35:522–523.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Boone, D.R., Whitman, W.B., Rouvière, P. (1993). Diversity and Taxonomy of Methanogens. In: Ferry, J.G. (eds) Methanogenesis. Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2391-8_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2391-8_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6013-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2391-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive