Methylotrophic methanogenic Thermoplasmata implicated in reduced methane emissions from bovine rumen

Morten Poulsen (), Clarissa Schwab, Bent Borg Jensen, Ricarda M. Engberg, Anja Spang, Nuria Canibe, Ole Højberg, Gabriel Milinovich, Lena Fragner, Christa Schleper, Wolfram Weckwerth, Peter Lund, Andreas Schramm and Tim Urich ()
Additional contact information
Morten Poulsen: Aarhus University
Clarissa Schwab: University of Vienna
Bent Borg Jensen: Aarhus University
Ricarda M. Engberg: Aarhus University
Anja Spang: University of Vienna
Nuria Canibe: Aarhus University
Ole Højberg: Aarhus University
Gabriel Milinovich: University of Vienna
Lena Fragner: University of Vienna
Christa Schleper: University of Vienna
Wolfram Weckwerth: University of Vienna
Peter Lund: Aarhus University
Andreas Schramm: Aarhus University
Tim Urich: University of Vienna

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Rumen methanogens are major sources of anthropogenic methane emissions, and these archaea are targets in strategies aimed at reducing methane emissions. Here we show that the poorly characterised Thermoplasmata archaea in bovine rumen are methylotrophic methanogens and that they are reduced upon dietary supplementation with rapeseed oil in lactating cows. In a metatranscriptomic survey, Thermoplasmata 16S rRNA and methyl-coenzyme M reductase (mcr) transcripts decreased concomitantly with mRNAs of enzymes involved in methanogenesis from methylamines that were among the most abundant archaeal transcripts, indicating that these Thermoplasmata degrade methylamines. Their methylotrophic methanogenic lifestyle was corroborated by in vitro incubations, showing enhanced growth of these organisms upon methylamine supplementation paralleled by elevated methane production. The Thermoplasmata have a high potential as target in future strategies to mitigate methane emissions from ruminant livestock. Our findings and the findings of others also indicate a wider distribution of methanogens than previously anticipated.

Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms2432

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2432

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