Bioenergetics: Open Access

Respiration in Methanotrophic Archaea: Energy Production and ATP Generation

Brown Griffin^* Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
^*Correspondence: Brown Griffin, Department of Plant and Microbial Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, Email:

Received: 22-Feb-2023, Manuscript No. BEG-23-20601; Editor assigned: 24-Feb-2023, Pre QC No. BEG-23-20601 (PQ); Reviewed: 10-Mar-2023, QC No. BEG-23-20601; Revised: 17-Mar-2023, Manuscript No. BEG-23-20601 (R); Published: 27-Mar-2023, DOI: 10.35248/2167-7662.23.11.203

Description

Methanogenesis is a biological process that produces methane gas as a metabolic end product. It is one of the primary ways in which organic matter is converted into biogenic methane, a potent greenhouse gas [1]. Methanotrophic Archaea are a group of microorganisms that are capable of using methane as a source of energy and carbon. They are found in a variety of environments, including marine sediments, wetlands, and landfill sites [2].

Methanotrophic Archaea are important because they play a key role in the global carbon cycle, consuming large amounts of methane and preventing it from being released into the atmosphere [3]. They are also of interest because they have potential applications in biotechnology, including the production of biofuels and the removal of methane from biogas [4].

Methanogenesis

Methanogenesis is the process by which methane is produced by microorganisms. It is a complex process that involves a series of biochemical reactions. Methanogens are the microorganisms that carry out methanogenesis, and they are found in a variety of environments, including the guts of ruminant animals, anaerobic sediments, and wetlands [5].

Methanogenesis can be divided into several stages. The first stage is the conversion of organic matter into simple organic compounds, such as acetic acid and methanol. This is carried out by fermentative microorganisms, such as bacteria and protozoa [6]. The second stage is the conversion of these simple organic compounds into carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas, which is carried out by acetogenic microorganisms. The third stage is the conversion of carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas into methane, which is carried out by methanogenic microorganisms [7].

Methanotrophic Archaea

Methanotrophic Archaea are a group of microorganisms that are capable of using methane as a source of energy and carbon. They are found in a variety of environments, including marine sediments, wetlands, and landfill sites. Methanotrophic Archaea are important because they play a key role in the global carbon cycle, consuming large amounts of methane and preventing it from being released into the atmosphere [8].

There are two types of methanotrophic Archaea: aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic methanotrophic Archaea use oxygen to oxidize methane, producing carbon dioxide and water as metabolic end products. Anaerobic methanotrophic Archaea use alternative electron acceptors, such as nitrate or sulfate, to oxidize methane [9].

Respiration in methanotrophic archaea

Respiration in methanotrophic Archaea is a process by which energy is produced by the oxidation of methane. The energy produced is used to generate ATP, the primary energy currency of the cell. Methanotrophic Archaea use a variety of respiratory enzymes to oxidize methane, including Methane Monooxygenase (MMO) and particulate Methane Monooxygenase (pMMO).

MMO is a copper-containing enzyme that is found in the membranes of methanotrophic Archaea. It oxidizes methane to methanol, which is then further oxidized to formaldehyde and ultimately to carbon dioxide [10].

Conclusion

MMO is an important enzyme because it is responsible for the initial oxidation of methane, which is the rate-limiting step in methanotrophy. pMMO is a membrane-bound protein complex that is found in some methanotrophic Archaea. It is similar to MMO in that it also oxidizes methane to methanol, but it has a different structure and function. pMMO is thought to be involved in the oxidation of methane under low-oxygen conditions, and it may be more efficient than MMO at low methane concentrations.

References

1. Guan C, Chen N, Qiao L, Ma X, Zhao C. Biocrusts regulate the effect of rainfall pulses on soil respiration at different temporal scales on the Loess Plateau. Soil Biol Biochem. 2023:109018.

   [Google Scholar]

2. Mousa MG, Vuppaladhadiam L, Kelly MO, Pietka T, Ek S, Shen KC, et al. Site-1 protease inhibits mitochondrial respiration by controlling the TGF-β target gene Mss51. Cell Reports. 2023;42(4).

   [Google Scholar]

3. Wang J, Cao R, Wang Q, Ma M. Nondestructive prediction of fertilization status and growth indicators of hatching eggs based on respiration. Comput Electron Agric. 2023;208:107779.

   [Google Scholar]

4. Moshaei-Nezhad Y, Tetzlaff R, Kirsch M. Respiration and heartbeat motion correction of intraoperative thermographic images in neurosurgery. Biomed Signal Process Control. 2023;84:104770.

   [Google Scholar]

5. Chen H, Wu Y, He C, Long M, Liu G, Ni H, et al. Improvement of olfactory fMRI activation and hemodynamic response function curve with respiration correction. J. Neurosci Methods. 2023:109782.

   [Google Scholar]

6. Martín-Rodríguez AJ. Respiration-induced biofilm formation as a driver for bacterial niche colonization. Trends Microbiol. 2022.

   [Google Scholar]

7. Wang Y, Hong Y, Tian Y, Tian G, Zhang J, Wu H, et al. Changes in bacterial community composition and soil properties altered the response of soil respiration to rain addition in desert biological soil crusts. Geoderma. 2022;409:115635.

   [Google Scholar]

8. García-Martín EE, Aranguren-Gassis M, Hartmann M, Zubkov MV, Serret P. Contribution of bacterial respiration to plankton respiration from 50 N to 44 S in the Atlantic Ocean. Prog. Oceanogr. 2017;158:99-108.

   [Google Scholar]

9. García-Martín EE, Daniels CJ, Davidson K, Davis CE, Mahaffey C, Mayers KM, et al. Seasonal changes in plankton respiration and bacterial metabolism in a temperate shelf sea. Prog. Oceanogr. 2019;177:101884.

   [Google Scholar]

10. Cesar S, Willis L, Huang KC. Bacterial respiration during stationary phase induces intracellular damage that leads to delayed regrowth. Iscience. 2022;25(3):103765.

    [Google Scholar]