Abstract
The family Methanobacteriaceae (order Methanobacteriales, class Methanobacteria) currently (January 2014) consists of four genera: Methanobacterium, Methanobrevibacter, Methanosphaera and Methanothermobacter, with a total of 49 species. Morphologically the family is very diverse, cell shape varying from cocci or short rods to long filamentous rods. Motility is seldom encountered. The cell wall consists of pseudomurein, and cells generally stain Gram-positive. Polar lipids are based on archaeol and caldarchaeol core lipids. Phopholipid head groups include glucose, myo-inositol, serine and in some genera ethanolamine. All species are strict anaerobes, and most members of the family obtain energy for growth from the reduction of CO2 with H2. Formate is used by many species. Species of the genus Methanosphaera do not reduce CO2 but obtain their energy only from the reduction of methanol by H2. The mol% G+C of the DNA varies between 23 and 62. Members of the family are widely distributed in anaerobic environments including aquatic sediments, sewage treatment systems, gastrointestinal tracts of animals, and in geothermal areas.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Prokaryotes |
| Subtitle of host publication | Other Major Lineages of Bacteria and the Archaea |
| Publisher | Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg |
| Pages | 165-193 |
| Number of pages | 29 |
| Volume | 9783642389542 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9783642301230 |
| ISBN (Print) | 3642389538, 9783642301223 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jul 2014 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014. All rights reserved.
