Energetic and genomic potential for hydrogenotrophic, formatotrophic, and acetoclastic methanogenesis in surface-expressed serpentinized fluids of the Samail Ophiolite.

ABSTRACT: Serpentinization, the reaction of water with ultramafic rock, produces reduced, hyperalkaline, and H₂-rich fluids that support a variety of hydrogenotrophic microbial metabolisms. Previous work indicates the occurrence of methanogenesis in fluids from the actively serpentinizing Samail Ophiolite in the Sultanate of Oman. While those fluids contain abundant H₂ to fuel hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (CO₂ + 4H₂ ➔ CH₄ + 2H₂O), the concentration of CO₂ is very low due to the hyperalkalinity (> pH 11) and geochemistry of the fluids. As a result, species such as formate and acetate may be important as alternative methanogenic substrates. In this study we quantified the impact of inorganic carbon, formate and acetate ava

SUBMITTER: Howells AEG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11826062 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature