10.6084/m9.figshare.11183759.v1
Mohammad Reza Ghaani
Mohammad Reza
Ghaani
Christopher C. R. Allen
Christopher C. R.
Allen
Jonathan M. Young
Jonathan M.
Young
Prithwish K. Nandi
Prithwish K.
Nandi
Shamsudeen U. Dandare
Shamsudeen U.
Dandare
Timofey Skvortsov
Timofey
Skvortsov
Niall J. English
Niall J.
English
Microbial Stabilization and Kinetic Enhancement of Marine Methane Hydrates
Taylor & Francis Group
2019
Methane hydrates
methylotrophy
2019-11-26 09:31:31
Journal contribution
https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Microbial_Stabilization_and_Kinetic_Enhancement_of_Marine_Methane_Hydrates/11183759
<p>In clathrate hydrates, a water host lattice encages small guest molecules in cavities. Methane hydrates are the most widespread <i>in-situ</i> clathrate in the permafrost and continental-shelf ocean regions, constituting a significant energy resource, and prompting recent marine-hydrate gas-production trials. Despite exciting engineering advances and a few marine-mimicking laboratory studies of methane-hydrate kinetics and stabilization, from microbial perspectives, little is known about a potential microbial origin of marine hydrates, nor their possible formation kinetics or potential stabilization by microbial sources. Here, for the first time, we show that an exported, extra-cytoplasmic porin – produced by a marine methylotrophic bacterium culture – provides the basis for kinetic enhancement and stabilization of methane hydrates under conditions simulating the seabed environment. We then identify the key protein at play, and we therefore suggest microbe-based stabilization of marine hydrates is evidently a property likely to be found in many marine bacteria. Our research opens the possibility of managing marine-hydrate deposits using microbiological strategies for environmental and societal benefit.</p>