Oxygen Generation via Water Splitting by a Novel Biogenic Metal Ion-Binding Compound
Philip Dershwitz, Nathan Bandow, Jun-Won Yang, Jeremy D. Semrau, Marcus T. McEllistrem, Rafael A. Heinze, Matheus de Castro Fonseca, Joshua C. Ledesma, Jacob R. Jennett, Ana M. DiSpirito, Navjot Singh Athwal, Mark S. Hargrove, Thomas A. Bobik, Hans Zischka, Alan A. DiSpirito
Abstract
suggests that methanotrophs expressing MB may be able to maintain their activity under hypoxic/anoxic conditions through the "self-generation" of dioxygen required for the initial oxidation of methane to methanol. Such an ability may be an important factor in enabling methanotrophs to not only colonize the oxic-anoxic interface where methane concentrations are highest but also tolerate significant temporal fluctuations of this interface. Given that genomic surveys often show evidence of aerobic methanotrophs within anoxic zones, the ability to express MB (and thereby generate dioxygen) may be an important parameter in facilitating their ability to remove methane, a potent greenhouse gas, before it enters the atmosphere.