The Genome Sequence of the Rumen Methanogen Methanobrevibacter ruminantium Reveals New Possibilities for Controlling Ruminant Methane Emissions

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008926
• Publication Date: 2010-01-27T18:04:35Z
• Authors: Sinead C. Leahy; William J. Kelly; Eric Altermann; Ron S. Ronimus; Carl J. Yeoman; Diana M. Pacheco; Dong Li; Zhanhao Kong; Sharla McTavish; Carrie Sang; Suzanne C. Lambie; Peter H. Janssen; Debjit Dey; Graeme T. Attwood
• Keywords: Methanogen

Methane (CH(4)) is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), having global warming potential 21 times that of carbon dioxide (CO(2)). emissions from agriculture represent around 40% the produced by human-related activities, single largest source being enteric fermentation, mainly in ruminant livestock. Technologies to reduce these are lacking. Ruminant methane formed action methanogenic archaea typified Methanobrevibacter ruminantium, which present ruminants fed wide variety diets worldwide. To gain more insight into lifestyle rumen methanogen, and identify genes proteins can be targeted production, we have sequenced 2.93 Mb genome M. ruminantium M1, first methanogen completed.