Discovery of a novel methanogen prevalent in thawing permafrost
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Material Information

Title:
Discovery of a novel methanogen prevalent in thawing permafrost
Series Title:
Nature Communications
Creator:
Rhiannon Mondav
Ben J. Woodcroft
Eun-Hae Kim
Carmody K. McCalley
Suzanne B. Hodgkins
Patrick M. Crill
Jeffrey Chanton
Gregory B. Hurst
Nathan C. VerBerkmoes
Scott R. Saleska
Philip Hugenholtz
Affiliation:
University of Queensland -- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences -- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics
University of Queensland -- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences -- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics
University of Arizona -- Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science
University of Arizona -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department
Florida State University -- Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science
Stockholm University -- Department of Geological Sciences
Florida State University -- Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science
Chemical Sciences Division -- Oak Ride National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory -- Chemical Sciences Division
University of Arizona -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department
University of Queensland -- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences -- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics
Publisher:
Macmillan Publishers Limited
Publication Date:
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
climate change
permafrost
methane
Sweden

Notes

Abstract:
Thawing permafrost promotes microbial degradation of cryo-sequestered and new carbon leading to the biogenic production of methane, creating a positive feedback to climate change. Here we determine microbial community composition along a permafrost thaw gradient in northern Sweden. Partially thawed sites were frequently dominated by a single archaeal phylotype, Candidatus ‘Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis’ gen. nov. sp. nov., belonging to the uncultivated lineage ‘Rice Cluster II’ (Candidatus ‘Methanoflorentaceae’ fam. nov.). Metagenomic sequencing led to the recovery of its near-complete genome, revealing the genes necessary for hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. These genes are highly expressed and methane carbon isotope data are consistent with hydrogenotrophic production of methane in the partially thawed site. In addition to permafrost wetlands, ‘Methanoflorentaceae’ are widespread in high methane-flux habitats suggesting that this lineage is both prevalent and a major contributor to global methane production. In thawing permafrost, Candidatus ‘M. stordalenmirensis’ appears to be a key mediator of methane-based positive feedback to climate warming.

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Source Institution:
Florida International University
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