Abstract
A new mesophilic, coccoid methanogen, assigned as Methanogenium liminatans spec. nov. strain DSM 4140, was isolated from effluent of a reactor for the anaerobic treatment of industrial waste water. Cells of M. Liminatans formed irregular cocci, about 1.5 μm in size, and occurred singly. The cell envelope was an S-layer with hexagonally arranged glycoprotein subunits (Mr=118000). The center-to-center spacings were 15.4 nm. The polar lipid pattern was similar to that of Methanogenium tationis, the polyamine content similar to that found in several Methanogenium species. Strain DSM 4140 grew with H2/CO2, formate, 2-propanol/CO2, 2-butanol/CO2 and cyclopentanol/CO2. For growth with the different substrates acetate was required as an additional carbon source. Growth on H2/CO2 was stimulated by the addition of tungstate. The optimal concentration was 1–2 μM Na2WO4. 185WO sup2-inf4 was incorporated into cells. Growth was not influenced by 0–600 mM NaCl, but no growth occurred in the presence of ≥800 mM NaCl. Increasing concentrations of KCl up to 100 mM were slightly inhibitory for growth. The optimal growth temperature was around 40°C. The G+C content of the DNA was 59.3 mol% (Tm) or 60.5 mol% (HPLC).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- HPLC =:
-
high performance liquid chromatography
- PAS =:
-
periodic acid-Schiff reagent
- sADH =:
-
secondary alcohol dehydrogenase
- F420 =:
-
7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin
References
Balch WE, Fox GE, Magrum LJ, Woese CR, Wolfe RS (1979) Methanogens: Reevaluation of a unique biological group. Microbiol Rev 43: 260–296
Bleicher K, Zellner G, Winter J, (1989) Growth of methanogens on cyclopentanol and specificity of alcohol dehydrogenase. FEMS Microbiol Lett 59: 307–312
Corder RE, Hook LA, Larkin JM, Frea JI (1983) Isolation and characterization of two new methane producing cocci: Methanogenium olentangyi, sp. nov., and Methanococcus deltae, sp. nov. Arch Microbiol 134: 28–32
Doddema HJ, Vogels GD (1978) Improved identification of methanogenic bacteria by fluorescence microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol 36: 752–754
Ferguson TJ, Mah RA (1983) Isolation and characterization of an H2-oxidizing thermophilic methanogen. Appl Environ Microbiol 45: 265–274
Harris JE, Pinn PA, Davis RP (1984) Isolation and characterization of a novel thermophilic, freshwater methanogen. Appl Environ Microbiol 48: 1123–1128
Kneifel H, Stetter KO, Andreesen JR, Wiegel J, König H, Schoberth SM (1986) Distribution of polyamines in representative species of archaebacteria. Syst Appl Microbiol 7: 241–245
Macario AJL, Conway de Macario E (1983) Antigenic fingerprinting of methanogenic bacteria with polyclonal antibody probes. Syst Appl Microbiol 4: 451–458
Macario AJL, Conway de Macario E (1985) Monoclonal antibodies of predefined molecular specificity for identification and classification of methanogens and for probing their ecological niches. P 213–247. In: Macario AJL, Conway de Macario E (eds) Monoclonal antibodies against bacteria, vol II. Academic Press, Inc., Orlando, Florida
Messner P, Hollaus F, Sleytr UB (1984) Paracrystalline cell wall surface layers of different Bacillus stearothermophilus strains. Int J Syst Bacteriol 34: 202–210
Ollivier BM, Mah RA, Garcia JL, Robinson R (1985) Isolation and characterization of Methanogenium aggregans sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 35: 127–130
Ollivier BM, Mah RA, Garcia JL, Boone DR (1986) Isolation and characterization of Methanogenium bourgense sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 36: 297–301
Rivard CJ, Smith PH (1982) Isolation and characterization of a thermophilic marine methanogenic bacterium, Methanogenium thermophilicum sp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol 32: 430–436
Romesser JA, Wolfe RS, Mayer F, Spiess E, Walther-Mauruschat A (1979) Methanogenium, a genus of marine methanogenic bacteria and characterization of Methanogenium cariaci spec. nov. and Methanogenium marisnigri spec. nov. Arch Microbiol 121: 147–153
Scherer P, Kneifel H (1983) Distribution of polyamines in methanogenic bacteria. J Bacteriol 154: 1315–1322
Sleytr UB, Messner P (1983) Crystalline surface layers on bacteria. Ann Rev Microbiol 37: 311–339
Sleytr UB, Messner P, (1988a) Crystalline surface layers on bacteria. In: Sleytr UB, Messner P, Pum D, Sára M (eds) Crystalline bacterial cell surface layers. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 160–186
Sleytr UB, Messner P (1988b) Crystalline surface layers in procaryotes. J Bacteriol 170: 2891–2897
Ulitzur S (1972) Rapid determination of DNA base composition by ultraviolet spectroscopy. Biochim Biophys Acta 272: 1–11
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, Wolfe RS (1989) Expression of secondary alcohol dehydrogenase in methanogenic bacteria. Purification of the F420-specific enzyme from Methanogenium thermophilum strain TCI. Arch Microbiol 152: 322–328
Widdel F, Rouviere PE, Wolfe RS (1988) Classification of secondary alcohol-utilizing methanogens including a new thermophilic isolate. Arch Microbiol 150: 477–481
Winter J, Lerp C, Zabel HP, Wildenauer FX, König H, Schindler F (1984) Methanobacterium wolfei, sp. nov., a new tungsten-requiring, thermophilic, autotrophic methanogen. Syst Appl Microbiol 5: 457–466
Wolin EA, Wolin MJ, Wolfe RS (1963) Formation of methane by bacterial extracts. J Biol Chem 238: 2882–2886
Xun L, Boone DR, Mah RA (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
Zabel HP, König H, Winter J (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 HP, König H, Winter J (1985) Emended description of Methanogenium thermophilicum, Rivard and Smith, and assignment of new isolates to this species. Syst Appl Microbiol 6: 72–78
Zellner G, Winter J (1987a) Secondary alcohols as hydrogen donors for CO2-reduction by methanogens. FEMS Microbiol Lett 44: 323–328
Zellner G, Winter J (1987b) Analysis of a highly efficient methanogenic consortium producing biogas from whey. Syst Appl Microbiol 9: 284–292
Zellner G, Winter J (1987c) Growth promoting effect of tungsten on methanogens and incorporation of tungsten-185 into cells. FEMS Microbiol Lett 40: 81–87
Zellner G, Alten C, Stackebrandt E, Conway de Macario E, Winter J (1987) Isolation and characterization of Methanocorpusculum parvum gen. nov., spec. nov., a new tungsten requiring, coccoid methanogen. Arch Microbiol 147: 13–20
Zellner G, Bleicher K, Braun E, Kneifel H, Tindall BJ, Conway de Macario E, Winter J (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, Messner P, Kneifel H, Tindall BJ, Winter J, Stackebrandt E (1989b) Methanolacinia gen. nov., incorporating Methanomicrobium paynteri as Methanolacinia paynteri comb. nov. J Gen Appl Microbiol 35: 185–202
Zellner G, Stackebrandt E, Messner P, Tindall BJ, Conway de Macario E, Kneifel H, Winter J (1989c) Methanocorpusculaceae fam. nov., represented by Methanocorpusculum parvum, Methanocorpusculum sinense spec. nov. and Methanocorpusculum bavaricum spec. nov. Arch Microbiol 151: 381–390
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zellner, G., Sleytr, U.B., Messner, P. et al. Methanogenium liminatans spec. nov., a new coccoid, mesophilic methanogen able to oxidize secondary alcohols. Arch. Microbiol. 153, 287–293 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00249084
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00249084