In taxonomy

Alpha taxonomy

Alpha taxonomy is the discipline concerned with finding, describing and naming species of living or fossil organisms. This field is supported by institutions holding collections of these organisms, with relevant data, carefully curated: such institutes include natural history museums, herbaria and...

, Methanofollis is a genus of the Methanomicrobiaceae

Methanomicrobiaceae

In taxonomy, the Methanomicrobiaceae are a family of the Methanomicrobiales.-External links:...

.

Description and significance

Methanofollis ("a methane-producing bag") is a non-motile, Gram-negative, obligately anaerobic, mesophilic archaeon that produces methane. It grows between the temperatures 20-45°C (optimuim = 34-40°C), and at the pH value of around 7.

Genome structure

The genome of the archaeon has not yet sequenced. The G + C content of the DNA is determined to be 60.0%.

Cell structure and metabolism

The cells of Methanofollis are highly irregular cocci, with diameter of 1.25-2.0µm.The major polar lipids are phospholipids, glycolipids, and phosphoglycolipids.
It utilizes H2/CO2, formate, 2-propanol/CO2, and 2-butanol/CO2 for growth and methanogenesis. No growth has been observed on acetate

Acetate

An acetate is a derivative of acetic acid. This term includes salts and esters, as well as the anion found in solution. Most of the approximately 5 billion kilograms of acetic acid produced annually in industry are used in the production of acetates, which usually take the form of polymers. In...

, trimethylamine

Trimethylamine

Trimethylamine is an organic compound with the formula N3. This colorless, hygroscopic, and flammable tertiary amine has a strong "fishy" odor in low concentrations and an ammonia-like odor at higher concentrations...

, methanol

Methanol

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...

, ethanol

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...

, 2-propanol, isobutanol

Isobutanol

Isobutanol is an organic compound with the formula 2CHCH2OH. This colorless, flammable liquid with a characteristic smell is mainly used as a solvent. Its isomers include n-butanol, 2-butanol, and tert-butanol, all of which are more important industrially.-Production:Isobutanol is produced by the...

, or 2-butanol

2-Butanol

2-Butanol, or sec-butanol, is an organic compound with formula CH3CHCH2CH3. This secondary alcohol is a flammable, colorless liquid that is soluble in 12 parts water and completely miscible with polar organic solvents such as ethers and other alcohols. It is produced on a large scale, primarily as...

as catabolic substrates.

Ecology

Most species of the archaeon are isolated from anaerobic high-rate wastewater bioreactors or solfataric fields. For example, M. tationis was isolated from a solfataric field on Mount Tatio in the Atacama desert in northern Chile.

External links