Methane Monooxygenase Gene Transcripts as Quantitative Biomarkers of Methanotrophic Activity in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b.

ABSTRACT: Methanotrophic microorganisms are characterized by their ability to oxidize methane. Globally they have a significant impact on methane emissions by attenuating net methane fluxes to the atmosphere in natural and engineered systems, though the populations are dynamic in their activity level in soils and waters. Methanotrophs oxidize methane using methane monooxygenase (MMO) enzymes, and selected subunit genes of the most common MMOs, specifically pmoA and mmoX, are used as biomarkers for the presence and abundance of populations of bacterial methanotrophs. The relative expression of these biomarker genes is dependent on copper-to-biomass ratios. Empirically derived quantitative relationships between methane oxidation biomarker transcript amounts and methanotrophic activity could facilitate

SUBMITTER: Tentori EF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7657634 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature