Hydrogen-limited growth of hyperthermophilic methanogens at deep-sea hydrothermal vents.

ABSTRACT: Microbial productivity at hydrothermal vents is among the highest found anywhere in the deep ocean, but constraints on microbial growth and metabolism at vents are lacking. We used a combination of cultivation, molecular, and geochemical tools to verify pure culture H(2) threshold measurements for hyperthermophilic methanogenesis in low-temperature hydrothermal fluids from Axial Volcano and Endeavour Segment in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Two Methanocaldococcus strains from Axial and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii showed similar Monod growth kinetics when grown in a bioreactor at varying H(2) concentrations. Their H(2) half-saturation value was 66 μM, and growth ceased below 17-23 μM H(2), 10-fold lower than previously predicted. By comparison, measured H(2) and CH(4) concentrations in

SUBMITTER: Ver Eecke HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3427048 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature