Planktonic and sediment-associated aerobic methanotrophs in two seep systems along the North American margin.

ABSTRACT: Methane vents are of significant geochemical and ecological importance. Notable progress has been made toward understanding anaerobic methane oxidation in marine sediments; however, the diversity and distribution of aerobic methanotrophs in the water column are poorly characterized. Both environments play an essential role in regulating methane release from the oceans to the atmosphere. In this study, the diversity of particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA) and 16S rRNA genes from two methane vent environments along the California continental margin was characterized. The pmoA phylotypes recovered from methane-rich sediments and the overlying water column differed. Sediments harbored the greatest number of unique pmoA phylotypes broadly affiliated with the Methylococcaceae family, whereas

SUBMITTER: Tavormina PL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2446507 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature