An anaerobic methanogenic toluene-degrading microbiota whose syntrophic hydrocarbon conversion was stimulated at 800 mV. Wu et al. (2024) compared electro-stimulated and non-electro-stimulated methanogenic microbiota with bamA amplification and metagenomic sequencing, and inferred a shift from a Syntrophobacteraceae MAG116-centered, acetoclastic methanogen-associated network toward anode-recruited Desulfoprunum MAG10, hydrogen-producing Aminidesulfovibrio MAG60, and cathode-recruited hydrogenotrophic Methanobacterium MAG74 interactions that boosted methane production from toluene.
Taxonomy
| Taxon | Ontology ID | Functional Roles | Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syntrophobacteraceae MAG116 — ontology label: Bacteria | NCBITaxon:2 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
ELECTRON_DONOR
|
N/A |
|
|||
| Methanosarcina spp. — ontology label: Methanosarcina | NCBITaxon:2207 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
ELECTRON_ACCEPTOR
|
N/A |
|
|||
| Methanothrix sp. — ontology label: Methanothrix | NCBITaxon:2222 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
ELECTRON_ACCEPTOR
|
N/A |
|
|||
| Desulfoprunum sp. MAG10 — ontology label: unclassified Desulfoprunum | NCBITaxon:2629275 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
ELECTROGEN
ELECTRON_DONOR
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
|
N/A |
|
|||
| Methanobacterium sp. MAG74 — ontology label: Methanobacterium | NCBITaxon:2160 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
ELECTROTROPH
ELECTRON_ACCEPTOR
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
|
N/A |
|
|||
| Aminidesulfovibrio sp. MAG60 — ontology label: Bacteria | NCBITaxon:2 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
ELECTROTROPH
ELECTRON_DONOR
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
|
N/A |
|
|||
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.
Non-electrostimulated toluene degrader to acetoclastic methanogens
HYPOTHESIZED - the abstract proposes MAG116-mediated toluene conversion linked to Methanosarcina OR Methanothrix through e-pili OR acetate. These are alternative partners and routes, not a demonstrated three-member assembly or resolved direct-electron-transfer flux. The non-electrostimulated model must remain distinct from electrode-associated hypotheses.
Participating Taxa: Syntrophobacteraceae MAG116, Methanosarcina spp., Methanothrix sp.
Metabolites: toluene (CHEBI:17578 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), acetate (CHEBI:30089 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), methane (CHEBI:16183 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Evidence
-
PMID:38865893 - PARTIAL (COMPUTATIONAL)"proposed to establish electron syntrophy with the acetoclastic methanogen Methanosarcina spp. (or Methanothrix sp.) through e-pili or shared acetate"
Anode-linked Desulfoprunum and Syntrophobacteraceae electron transfer
HYPOTHESIZED - anode-associated Desulfoprunum MAG10 may exchange electrons with MAG116 and the electrode. The abstract does not resolve donor-to-recipient direction between the MAGs or demonstrate a necessary transfer protein. Electrode enrichment does not independently establish syntrophic flux.
Participating Taxa: Desulfoprunum sp. MAG10, Syntrophobacteraceae MAG116
Evidence
-
PMID:38865893 - PARTIAL (COMPUTATIONAL)"MAG10 engaged in interspecies electron transfer with both syntroph f_Syntrophobacteraceae MAG116 and the anode"
Aminidesulfovibrio electron and hydrogen sharing with Methanobacterium
HYPOTHESIZED - MAG60 could supply electrons or hydrogen to Methanobacterium MAG74. The directed pair encodes the proposed route, not a measured exchange rate, demonstrated obligate cooperation or resolved direct versus hydrogen-mediated transfer. Hydrogenase gene content alone does not demonstrate that flux.
Source Taxon: Aminidesulfovibrio sp. MAG60
Target Taxon: Methanobacterium sp. MAG74
Metabolites: dihydrogen (CHEBI:18276 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), methane (CHEBI:16183 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Evidence
-
PMID:38865893 - PARTIAL (COMPUTATIONAL)"could share electrons and hydrogen with the methanogen Methanobacterium sp. MAG74"
Knowledge gaps & discussions (2)
CURATION_TODO OPEN Curate the full text before adding medium composition, inoculum source, electrode material, reference electrode, MAG bin-quality metrics, exact MAG relative abundances, and public metagenome accessions.
The PubMed abstract supports 800 mV electro-stimulation, named MAG or genus labels, and the proposed electron-transfer model, but it omits the reactor geometry, reference electrode, culture medium, source inoculum, and full MAG taxonomy needed to refine this abstract-level record.
Attaches to: taxonomy, growth_media, cultivation_setup, ecological_interactions
1 evidence item(s)
metagenomic sequencing analyses revealed
Shows that the cached abstract summarizes genome-resolved analyses without exposing the underlying MAG table.
KNOWLEDGE_GAP OPEN Which candidate MAG routes are established by selective perturbation and primary reactor data?
The three abstract-supported mechanisms remain HYPOTHESIZED with PARTIAL computational evidence and zero downstream arrows. A common electrical treatment does not establish a chain among control, anode and cathode mechanisms. Preserve the alternate methanogen evidence from #1121 and recruitment evidence from #1120. Distinct MAG116 and MAG60 labels must not collapse because both use NCBITaxon:2. Full primary Methods/Results and supplements were not acquired; publisher requests failed and the ResearchGate entry requires a full-text request. This is an access limitation, not proof that full text does not exist. Non-graph roles and reactor metadata remain #1435.
Attaches to: ecological_interactions#Non-electrostimulated toluene degrader to acetoclastic methanogens, ecological_interactions#Anode-linked Desulfoprunum and Syntrophobacteraceae electron transfer, ecological_interactions#Aminidesulfovibrio electron and hydrogen sharing with Methanobacterium
External Resources
| Name | Repository | Resource ID |
|---|---|---|
|
Primary publication - electro-stimulated methanogenic toluene-degrading microbiota
PubMed record for the Water Research study resolving electro-stimulated syntrophic interactions in methanogenic toluene-degrading microbiota. |
OTHER | PMID:38865893 |
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|
Publication DOI - electro-stimulated methanogenic toluene-degrading microbiota
DOI for the Water Research study of electro-stimulated methanogenic toluene-degrading microbiota. |
OTHER | 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121898 |
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Environmental Factors
| Factor | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 800 mV electro-stimulation | 800 mV | N/A |
|
||
| Electrode recruitment of MAG10 and MAG74 | Desulfoprunum MAG10 at the anode; Methanobacterium MAG74 at the cathode | N/A |
|
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Growth Media
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