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Bioenergetics of Methanogenesis

  • Chapter
Methanogenesis

Part of the book series: Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series ((CHMBS))

Abstract

The bioenergetics of methanogens could be expected to have special features, given that they are members of the Archaea and utilize a number of unique reactions and coenzymes in the pathways of methanogenesis. This turns out to be so; however, it was not until 1980 that the elucidation of the biochemistry of methanogenesis attained a stage where the bioenergetics could be studied. Since then, progress has been made, reactions involved in energy conservation have been identified, and it became clear that at least some of these reactions proceed in or at the cytoplasmic membrane. For example, it now makes sense that only methylotrophic methanogens contain cytochromes that were first discovered in methanogens in 1979; likewise, the general sodium ion dependence of methanogenesis is now understood. Indeed, the bioenergetics of methanogenesis has unique features: ATP synthesis takes advantage of proton as well as of sodium gradients, both of which are generated by primary pumps.

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Authors
  1. Volker Müller
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  2. Michael Blaut
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  3. Gerhard Gottschalk
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anaerobic Microbiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0305, USA

    James G. Ferry

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Müller, V., Blaut, M., Gottschalk, G. (1993). Bioenergetics of Methanogenesis. In: Ferry, J.G. (eds) Methanogenesis. Chapman & Hall Microbiology Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2391-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2391-8_9

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