The genome of M. acetivorans reveals extensive metabolic and physiological diversity.
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 of M. 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 at http://www-genome.wi.mit.edu/.]
Galagan
James E
JE
Whitehead Institute Center for Genome Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA.
Nusbaum
Chad
C
Roy
Alice
A
Endrizzi
Matthew G
MG
Macdonald
Pendexter
P
FitzHugh
Will
W
Calvo
Sarah
S
Engels
Reinhard
R
Smirnov
Serge
S
Atnoor
Deven
D
Brown
Adam
A
Allen
Nicole
N
Naylor
Jerome
J
Stange-Thomann
Nicole
N
DeArellano
Kurt
K
Johnson
Robin
R
Linton
Lauren
L
McEwan
Paul
P
McKernan
Kevin
K
Talamas
Jessica
J
Tirrell
Andrea
A
Ye
Wenjuan
W
Zimmer
Andrew
A
Barber
Robert D
RD
Cann
Isaac
I
Graham
David E
DE
Grahame
David A
DA
Guss
Adam M
AM
Hedderich
Reiner
R
Ingram-Smith
Cheryl
C
Kuettner
H Craig
HC
Krzycki
Joseph A
JA
Leigh
John A
JA
Li
Weixi
W
Liu
Jinfeng
J
Mukhopadhyay
Biswarup
B
Reeve
John N
JN
Smith
Kerry
K
Springer
Timothy A
TA
Umayam
Lowell A
LA
White
Owen
O
White
Robert H
RH
Conway de Macario
Everly
E
Ferry
James G
JG
Jarrell
Ken F
KF
Jing
Hua
H
Macario
Alberto J L
AJ
Paulsen
Ian
I
Pritchett
Matthew
M
Sowers
Kevin R
KR
Swanson
Ronald V
RV
Zinder
Steven H
SH
Lander
Eric
E
Metcalf
William W
WW
Birren
Bruce
B
D019843:Archaeal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D019605:Euryarchaeota / Q000378:metabolism; D019848:Gene Expression Regulation, Archaeal / Q000502:physiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D020745:Genome, Archaeal; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017020:Methanosarcina / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D018741:Replication Origin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D019843:Archaeal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D006859:Hydrogen; D010100:Oxygen