title: Quantitative analysis of coenzyme F430 in environmental samples: a new diagnostic tool for methanogenesis and anaerobic methane oxidation.
abstract: Coenzyme F430 is a nickel hydrocorphinoid and is the prosthetic group of methyl-coenzyme M reductase that catalyzes the last step of the methanogenic reaction sequence and its reversed reaction for anaerobic methane oxidation by ANME. As such, function-specific compound analysis has the potential to reveal the microbial distribution and activity associated with methane production and consumption in natural environments and, in particular, in deep subsurface sediments where microbiological and geochemical techniques are restricted. Herein, we report the development of a technique for high-sensitivity analysis of F430 in environmental samples, including paddy soils, marine sediments, microbial mats, and an anaerobic groundwater. The lower detection limit of F430 analysis by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry is 0.1 femto mol, which corresponds to 6 × 10(2) to 1 × 10(4) cells of methanogens. F430 concentrations in these natural environmental samples range from 63 × 10(-6) to 44 nmol g(-1) and are consistent with the methanogenic archaeal biomass estimated by microbiological analyses.
authors.affiliation: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology , 2-15 Natsushima, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chikaraishi
authors.forename: Nanako O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asakawa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Seigo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohkouchi
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D008665:Metalloporphyrins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D008665:Metalloporphyrins; C023540:factor F430; D008697:Methane