Author:
Galagan James E.,Nusbaum Chad,Roy Alice,Endrizzi Matthew G.,Macdonald Pendexter,FitzHugh Will,Calvo Sarah,Engels Reinhard,Smirnov Serge,Atnoor Deven,Brown Adam,Allen Nicole,Naylor Jerome,Stange-Thomann Nicole,DeArellano Kurt,Johnson Robin,Linton Lauren,McEwan Paul,McKernan Kevin,Talamas Jessica,Tirrell Andrea,Ye Wenjuan,Zimmer Andrew,Barber Robert D.,Cann Isaac,Graham David E.,Grahame David A.,Guss Adam M.,Hedderich Reiner,Ingram-Smith Cheryl,Kuettner H. Craig,Krzycki Joseph A.,Leigh John A.,Li Weixi,Liu Jinfeng,Mukhopadhyay Biswarup,Reeve John N.,Smith Kerry,Springer Timothy A.,Umayam Lowell A.,White Owen,White Robert H.,de Macario Everly Conway,Ferry James G.,Jarrell Ken F.,Jing Hua,Macario Alberto J.L.,Paulsen Ian,Pritchett Matthew,Sowers Kevin R.,Swanson Ronald V.,Zinder Steven H.,Lander Eric,Metcalf William W.,Birren Bruce
Abstract
Methanogenesis, the biological production of methane, plays a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle and contributes significantly to global warming. The majority of methane in nature is derived from acetate. Here we report the complete genome sequence of an acetate-utilizing methanogen, Methanosarcina acetivorans C2A. Methanosarcineae are the most metabolically diverse methanogens, thrive in a broad range of environments, and are unique among the Archaea in forming complex multicellular structures. This diversity is reflected in the genome ofM. acetivorans. At 5,751,492 base pairs it is by far the largest known archaeal genome. The 4524 open reading frames code for a strikingly wide and unanticipated variety of metabolic and cellular capabilities. The presence of novel methyltransferases indicates the likelihood of undiscovered natural energy sources for methanogenesis, whereas the presence of single-subunit carbon monoxide dehydrogenases raises the possibility of nonmethanogenic growth. Although motility has not been observed in any Methanosarcineae, a flagellin gene cluster and two complete chemotaxis gene clusters were identified. The availability of genetic methods, coupled with its physiological and metabolic diversity, makes M. acetivorans a powerful model organism for the study of archaeal biology.[Sequence, data, annotations, and analyses are available athttp://www-genome.wi.mit.edu/. The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank data library under accession no. AE010299.]
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Subject
Genetics (clinical),Genetics