Biological Methane Production Under Putative Enceladus-like Conditions

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2018 Mar 1

PMID 29487311

Citations 25

Authors

Ruth-Sophie Taubner

Patricia Pappenreiter

Jennifer Zwicker

Daniel Smrzka

Christian Pruckner

Philipp Kolar

Sebastien Bernacchi

Arne H Seifert

Alexander Krajete

Wolfgang Bach

Jorn Peckmann

Christian Paulik

Maria G Firneis

Christa Schleper

Simon K-M R Rittmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The detection of silica-rich dust particles, as an indication for ongoing hydrothermal activity, and the presence of water and organic molecules in the plume of Enceladus, have made Saturn's icy moon a hot spot in the search for potential extraterrestrial life. Methanogenic archaea are among the organisms that could potentially thrive under the predicted conditions on Enceladus, considering that both molecular hydrogen (H) and methane (CH) have been detected in the plume. Here we show that a methanogenic archaeon, Methanothermococcus okinawensis, can produce CH under physicochemical conditions extrapolated for Enceladus. Up to 72% carbon dioxide to CH conversion is reached at 50 bar in the presence of potential inhibitors. Furthermore, kinetic and thermodynamic computations of low-temperature serpentinization indicate that there may be sufficient H gas production to serve as a substrate for CH production on Enceladus. We conclude that some of the CH detected in the plume of Enceladus might, in principle, be produced by methanogens.

Citing Articles

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