Synonyms
Methanotrophy
Definition
Methane oxidation is a microbial metabolic process for energy generation and carbon assimilation from methane that is carried out by specific groups of bacteria, the methanotrophs. Methane (CH4) is oxidized with molecular oxygen (O2) to carbon dioxide (CO2).
Biochemical basis
Methanotrophy is the microbially mediated process of the oxidation of CH4 with O2 to methanol , formaldehyde , formate, and finally CO2 (Figure 1) (Hanson and Hanson, 1996; Madigan et al., 2003; Bowman, 2006). The process is performed by a specialized group of bacteria (qv), the methanotrophs (CH4 oxidizing bacteria). They are a subgroup of the methylotrophs , bacteria capable of utilizing single-carbon compounds (Bowman, 2006). Methane is both the energy source (electron donor) and the sole or partial carbon source for methanotrophs. Aerobic oxidation of methane requires specific enzymes, most importantly methane monooxygenase (MMO), which catalyzes the first step in the...
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Bürgmann, H. (2011). Methane Oxidation (Aerobic). In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_139
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