Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39108084›Full record

ArticleFEMS microbiology ecology2024

Genome reduction in novel, obligately methyl-reducing Methanosarcinales isolated from arthropod guts (Methanolapillus gen. nov. and Methanimicrococcus).

Evgenii Protasov, Hanna Reeh, Pengfei Liu, Anja Poehlein, Katja Platt, Thomas Heimerl, Vincent Hervé, Rolf Daniel, Andreas Brune

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in FEMS microbiology ecology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Taxonomic revision of the genusInternational journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Notification of changes in taxonomic opinion previously published outside theInternational journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Evgenii ProtasovResearch Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1402-0224
Hanna ReehResearch Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Pengfei LiuResearch Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1003-2025
Anja PoehleinGenomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2473-6202
Katja PlattResearch Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5093-6155
Thomas HeimerlCenter for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Vincent HervéResearch Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-3495-561X
Rolf DanielGenomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8646-7925
Andreas BruneResearch Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2667-4391

Funding

Max Planck Society
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent metagenomic studies have identified numerous lineages of hydrogen-dependent, obligately methyl-reducing methanogens. Yet, only a few representatives have been isolated in pure culture. Here, we describe six new species with this capability in the family Methanosarcinaceae (order Methanosarcinales), which makes up a substantial fraction of the methanogenic community in arthropod guts. Phylogenomic analysis placed the isolates from cockroach hindguts into the genus Methanimicrococcus (M. hacksteinii, M. hongohii, and M. stummii) and the isolates from millipede hindguts into a new genus, Methanolapillus (M. africanus, M. millepedarum, and M. ohkumae). Members of this intestinal clade, which includes also uncultured representatives from termites and vertebrates, have substantially smaller genomes (1.6-2.2 Mbp) than other Methanosarcinales. Genome reduction was accompanied by the loss of the upper part of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, several energy-converting membrane complexes (Fpo, Ech, and Rnf), and various biosynthetic pathways. However, genes involved in the protection against reactive oxygen species (catalase and superoxide reductase) were conserved in all genomes, including cytochrome bd (CydAB), a high-affinity terminal oxidase that may confer the capacity for microaerobic respiration. Since host-associated Methanosarcinales are nested within omnivorous lineages, we conclude that the specialization on methyl groups is an adaptation to the intestinal environment.

Indexed as

PhylogenyAnimalsArthropodsGastrointestinal TractGenome, ArchaealMethaneOxidation-ReductionMethanearchaeaarthropodscockroachesgut microbiotamethanogensmillipedestermites

Identifiers

PMID39108084
PMCPMC11362671

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.