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2-Bromoethanesulfonate: A selective agent for isolating resistantMethanosarcina mutants

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Abstract

Sodium 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BES), a structural analog of 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (coenzyme M), inhibited methanogenesis and growth ofMethanosarcina strain 227 in the presence of H2/CO2, methanol, or acetate. A single exposure to 24 μM BES was sufficient to produce cultures resistant to 240 μM BES. Wild-type cultures inhibited by 200 μM BES (or less) resumed growth and methane production when coenzyme M (coM) was added to the culture medium. Cultures incubated one week or longer with 200 μM BES (or less) spontaneously resumed growth and methanogenesis in the presence of H2/CO2, methanol, or acetate without added coM. BES resistance was heritable and not the result of inactivation or decomposition of BES. BES resistance acquired on one methanogenic substrate was retained when cells were grown on a different methanogenic substrate. However, BES resistance did not confer multiple resistance to other halomethane compounds such as chloroform, 2-bromoethanol, 2-bromopropionic acid, and chloramphenicol. BES resistance varied in two other genera of methanogens tested. One strain ofMethanospirillum hungatei was very sensitive to BES, and no resistant mutants were demonstrated. One strain ofMethanobacterium formicicum, however, was resistant to 200 μM BES without any known prior exposure to BES.

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  1. Division of Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, 90024, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Michael R. Smith & Robert A. Mah

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  1. Michael R. Smith
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  2. Robert A. Mah
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Smith, M.R., Mah, R.A. 2-Bromoethanesulfonate: A selective agent for isolating resistantMethanosarcina mutants. Current Microbiology 6, 321–326 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01566885

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