title: Investigation of methanogen population structure in biogas reactor by molecular characterization of methyl-coenzyme M reductase A (mcrA) genes.
abstract: The methanogen community in biogas reactor running on cattle dung was investigated in two different seasons; summer (April, 36 degrees C) and winter (December, 24 degrees C), in the year 2004 by a culture-independent approach. Community structure was determined by phylogenetic analyses of 343 and 278 mcrA clones belonging to summer and winter month libraries, respectively. In summer month's library, 41.7% clones were affiliated to Methanomicrobiales, 30% to Methanosarcinales, 19% to Methanobacteriales, 5% to Methanococcales and a total of 4.3% clones belonged to unclassified euryarchaeotal lineages. In winter month's library, Methanomicrobiales encompassed 98.6% clones, and Methanobacteriales included 1.4% of total clone diversity. Biogas plant performance data collected during the winter month indicated significant reduction in daily biogas produced as compared to summer month because of lowering in ambient temperature and associated shift in microbial community. Results from this molecular study showed the existence of highly diverse and complex methanogens communities present in biogas plant.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Unit, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune 411007, India.
authors.forename: Gurdeep
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rastogi
authors.forename: Dilip R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ranade
authors.forename: Tulshiram Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yeole
authors.forename: Milind S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Patole
authors.forename: Yogesh S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shouche
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D002417:Cattle; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019605:Euryarchaeota / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005740:Gases; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010957:Plasmids; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005740:Gases; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C021572:methyl coenzyme M reductase; D008697:Methane