Increasing sulfate levels show a differential impact on synthetic communities comprising different methanogens and a sulfate reducer.

ABSTRACT: Methane-producing microbial communities are of ecological and biotechnological interest. Syntrophic interactions among sulfate reducers and aceto/hydrogenotrophic and obligate hydrogenotrophic methanogens form a key component of these communities, yet, the impact of these different syntrophic routes on methane production and their stability against sulfate availability are not well understood. Here, we construct model synthetic communities using a sulfate reducer and two types of methanogens representing different methanogenesis routes. We find that tri-cultures with both routes increase methane production by almost twofold compared to co-cultures and are stable in the absence of sulfate. With increasing sulfate, system stability and productivity decreases and does so faster in communities

SUBMITTER: Chen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6544901 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature