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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 October; 53(10): 2597-2599
Copyright © 1987, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Stable Carbon Isotope Fractionation by Methanosarcina barkeri during Methanogenesis from Acetate, Methanol, or Carbon Dioxide-Hydrogen

J. A. Krzycki, W. R. Kenealy, M. J. DENiro and J. G. Zeikus^,*

¹ Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, and Department of Earth, Space Sciences, and Archaeology Program, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024²

ABSTRACT

Methanosarcina barkeri was cultured on methanol, H₂-CO₂, and acetate, and the ¹³C/¹²C ratios of the substrates and the methane produced from them were determined. The discrimination against ¹³C in methane relative to substrate decreased in the order methanol > CO₂ > acetate. The isotopic fractionation for methane derived from acetate was only one-third of that observed with methanol as the substrate. The data presented indicate that the last enzyme of methanogenesis, methylreductase, is not the primary site of isotopic discrimination during methanogenesis from methanol or CO₂. These results also support biogeochemical interpretations that gas produced in environments in which acetate is the primary methane precursor will have higher ¹³C/¹²C ratios than those from environments where other substrates predominate.

^* Corresponding author.

Present address: Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210.

Present address: Experimental Station, Dupont Company, Wilmington, DE 19891.

Present address: Michigan Biotechnology Institute and the Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824.

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