Methanogenic archaea in subsurface coal seams are biogeographically distinct: an analysis of metagenomically-derived mcrA sequences.

ABSTRACT: The production of methane as an end-product of organic matter degradation in the absence of other terminal electron acceptors is common, and has often been studied in environments such as animal guts, soils and wetlands due to its potency as a greenhouse gas. To date, however, the study of the biogeographic distribution of methanogens across coal seam environments has been minimal. Here, we show that coal seams are host to a diverse range of methanogens, which are distinctive to each geological basin. Based on comparisons to close relatives from other methanogenic environments, the dominant methanogenic pathway in these basins is hydrogenotrophic, with acetoclastic being a second major pathway in the Surat Basin. Finally, mcrA and 16S rRNA gene primer biases were predominantly seen to affe

SUBMITTER: Campbell BC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9790511 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature