A laboratory enriched haloalkaliphilic microalga-methanotroph co-culture assembled by mixing a halotolerant methanotrophic consortium with a non-axenic algal culture. Triplicate 2.1 L gas-tight glass bioreactors containing 450 mL 6% NaCl mineral salt medium were supplied with a 70:30 CH4:CO2 biogas headspace under light; after two external O2 additions, the culture maintained methane oxidation via algal O2 production and removed 92% CH4 and 89% CO2 while producing ectoine, hydroxyectoine, and carotenoids. Shotgun metagenomics identified Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella viridis as the dominant Chlorophyta, Methylotuvimicrobium as the dominant methanotroph, and Methylophaga plus Methylonatrum as co-dominant methylotrophs.
Taxonomy
| Taxon | Ontology ID | Functional Roles | Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorella vulgaris | NCBITaxon:3077 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_PRODUCER
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ABUNDANT |
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| Dunaliella viridis | NCBITaxon:140095 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_PRODUCER
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ABUNDANT |
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| Leptolyngbya | NCBITaxon:47251 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_PRODUCER
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RARE |
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| Methylotuvimicrobium | NCBITaxon:2822410 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
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ABUNDANT |
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| Methylophaga | NCBITaxon:40222 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
CROSS_FEEDER
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COMMON |
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| Methylonatrum | NCBITaxon:455252 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
CROSS_FEEDER
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COMMON |
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Ecological Interactions
The graph shows only explicitly linked interaction participants. Community members without an asserted participant link are omitted; membership alone does not imply an interaction.
Photosynthetic O2 Support for Methane Oxidation
PARTIAL - the illuminated, non-axenic algal-methanotroph culture removed methane and carbon dioxide. Methane oxidation began after external oxygen pulses on days 13 and 15 and continued without further oxygen addition, consistent with photosynthetic oxygen support. These community-level gas dynamics do not isolate taxon-specific oxygen transfer or reciprocal fitness benefits between named partners.
Participating Taxa: Chlorella vulgaris, Dunaliella viridis, Leptolyngbya, Methylotuvimicrobium
Metabolites: methane (CHEBI:16183 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), carbon dioxide (CHEBI:16526 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), oxygen (CHEBI:15379 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Biological Processes:
- photosynthesis (GO:0015979 · PathwayMech)
- methane metabolic process (GO:0015947 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
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PMID:41745484 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"methanotrophs were inoculated when O2 concentrations reached"
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PMID:41745484 - PARTIAL (IN_VITRO)"functionally self-sustaining state"
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PMID:41745484 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"removal efficiencies of 92 and 89%, respectively"
Methane-Linked Methylotroph Cross-Feeding
CROSS_FEEDINGHYPOTHESIZED - methanotroph-derived methanol or other one-carbon intermediates could support Methylophaga and Methylonatrum in the methane-fed culture. Their observed abundance and known metabolism support a candidate exchange, not measured donor-to-recipient flux or detoxification.
Participating Taxa: Methylotuvimicrobium, Methylophaga, Methylonatrum
Metabolites: methane (CHEBI:16183 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), methanol (CHEBI:17790 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Biological Processes:
- methane metabolic process (GO:0015947 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
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PMID:41745484 - PARTIAL (IN_VITRO)"methanotrophs oxidize CH4 to intermediates such as methanol and formaldehyde"
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PMID:41745484 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"Methylophaga and Methylonatrum (50:40%)"
Associated Datasets
| Dataset | Type | Repository | Accession |
|---|---|---|---|
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Algal-methanotrophic co-culture shotgun metagenome BioProject
NCBI BioProject for the whole-genome shotgun data generated from the algal, methanotrophic, and algal-methanotrophic assays. |
METAGENOMICS | NCBI_BIOPROJECT | PRJNA1369521 |
Knowledge gaps & discussions (1)
KNOWLEDGE_GAP OPEN Which organisms supply and receive the oxygen and one-carbon metabolites in this culture?
PMID:41745484 measures gas removal and community composition. Startup required oxygen supplementation, and the cultures were not axenic. Partner-resolved transfer, reciprocal fitness and the methylotroph detoxification contribution remain unresolved.
Attaches to: ecological_interactions#Photosynthetic O2 Support for Methane Oxidation, ecological_interactions#Methane-Linked Methylotroph Cross-Feeding
External Resources
| Name | Repository | Resource ID |
|---|---|---|
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PubMed entry for algal-methanotroph biogas valorization
PubMed record for Serna-Garcia et al. 2026, the primary publication for this algal-methanotrophic co-culture. |
OTHER | PMID:41745484 |
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DOI for algal-methanotroph biogas valorization article
Version-of-record DOI for Serna-Garcia et al. 2026. |
OTHER | doi:10.3390/md24020081 |
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Environmental Factors
| Factor | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Biogas headspace | 70% CH4:30% CO2 | v/v |
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| Sodium chloride salinity | 6 | % w/w NaCl |
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| Start-up oxygen additions | days 13 and 15 | N/A |
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Growth Media
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