Cited by 132Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas ProductionMicrobial metabolism and enzyme functionATP Synthase and ATPases Research

Life Close to the Thermodynamic Limit: How Methanogenic Archaea Conserve Energy

Deppenmeier, Uwe, Müller, Volker·2007·Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation

Abstract

Methane-forming archaea are strictly anaerobic, ancient microbes that are widespread in nature. These organisms are commonly found in anaerobic environments such as rumen, anaerobic sediments of rivers and lakes, hyperthermal deep sea vents and even hypersaline environments. From an evolutionary standpoint they are close to the origin of life. Common to all methanogens is the biological production of methane by a unique pathway currently only found in archaea. Methanogens can grow on only a limited number of substrates such as H(2) + CO(2), formate, methanol and other methyl group-containing substrates and some on acetate. The free energy change associated with methanogenesis from these compounds allows for the synthesis of 1 (acetate) to a maximum of only 2 mol of ATP under standard conditions while under environmental conditions less than one ATP can be synthesized. Therefore, methanogens live close to the thermodynamic limit. To cope with this problem, they have evolved elaborate mechanisms of energy conservation using both protons and sodium ions as the coupling ion in one pathway. These energy conserving mechanisms are comprised of unique enzymes, cofactors and electron carriers present only in methanogens. This review will summarize the current knowledge of energy conservation of methanogens and focus on recent insights into structure and function of ion translocating enzymes found in these organisms.

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Crossref · 10.1007/400_2006_026

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  • The energy stress argument for the deep differences between archaebacteria and eubacteria is not robust.

    “but both acetogens and methanogens live at the lower end of the free energy spectrum whereby acetogens live from less energy than methanogens [142,143] but without having become archaebacteria, so the energy stress argument is clearly not robust”

    From Early bioenergetic evolution (2013) · cites this paper as [142]

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Authors
Deppenmeier, U., & Müller, V.
Affiliations
  • University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (US)
  • Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)
Corresponding author
Müller, Volker
Venue
Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation
Published
2007-01-26
Volume
45
Pages
123-152
OpenAlex
W1573058105
Cited by
132
References
124
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 9
FWCI
53.85
Type
book chapter
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Springer eBooks (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › ATP Synthase and ATPases Research
Keywords
methanogenic archaea, methanogenesis, energy conservation, thermodynamic limit, electron carriers, cofactors, anaerobic metabolism, ATP yield
MeSH terms
Acetates, Adenosine Triphosphate, Archaea, Biological Transport, Electron Transport, Ions, Methane, Models, Biological, Models, Chemical, Phenazines, Protons, Sodium, Thermodynamics, Evolution, Molecular, Euryarchaeota

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