A defined thermoacidophilic methanotroph-microalga coculture pairing Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1 with Galdieria sp. RTK37.1 for methane and carbon dioxide valorisation. In methane-fed photobioreactor studies, the methanotroph benefits from oxygen supplied by the extremophilic microalga under low-oxygen conditions, enhancing growth and methane oxidation. Follow-up work showed that this interaction is density-dependent: low initial Methylacidiphilum:Galdieria ratios improve net carbon fixation, whereas elevated methanotroph abundance can impose oxygen competition, causing chlorosis and reduced carbon assimilation.
Taxonomy
| Taxon | Ontology ID | Functional Roles | Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1 | NCBITaxon:511746 |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
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ABUNDANT |
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| Galdieria sp. RTK37.1 | NCBITaxon:2530459 |
PRIMARY_PRODUCER
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ABUNDANT |
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Ecological Interactions
Low-Oxygen Algal O2 Support for Methane Oxidation
MUTUALISMSource Taxon: Galdieria sp. RTK37.1
Target Taxon: Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1
Metabolites: oxygen (CHEBI:15379), methane (CHEBI:16183)
Biological Processes:
- photosynthesis (GO:0015979)
- methane metabolic process (GO:0015947)
Evidence
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"oxygen supplied by the extremophilic microalga Galdieria sp. RTK37.1"
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"enhancing growth and methane oxidation"
Biomass-Ratio-Dependent Oxygen Competition
COMPETITIONSource Taxon: Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1
Target Taxon: Galdieria sp. RTK37.1
Metabolites: oxygen (CHEBI:15379), coproporphyrin III (CHEBI:57307)
Biological Processes:
- photosynthesis (GO:0015979)
Evidence
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"inhibitory due to oxygen competition"
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"chlorosis and excreted coproporphyrin III"
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"upon oxygen replenishment"
Methane-Linked Carbon Valorisation
CROSS_FEEDINGSource Taxon: Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1
Target Taxon: Galdieria sp. RTK37.1
Metabolites: methane (CHEBI:16183), carbon dioxide (CHEBI:16526)
Biological Processes:
- methane metabolic process (GO:0015947)
- carbon fixation (GO:0015977)
Evidence
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"17-28% greater net"
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PMID:41888821 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"methane-fed photobioreactors relevant to SCP production"
External Resources
| Name | Repository | Resource ID |
|---|---|---|
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Exact-system publication - oxygen competition in methane-fed coculture
Publication reporting density-dependent oxygen exchange and oxygen competition in the exact Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1 and Galdieria sp. RTK37.1 coculture. |
OTHER | PMID:41888821 |
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Exact-system publication - single-cell protein cocultivation
Earlier open-access Engineering Microbiology publication using the same Methylacidiphilum sp. RTK17.1 and Galdieria sp. RTK37.1 species-pair composition for single-cell protein production. |
OTHER | doi:10.1016/j.engmic.2025.100229 |
Environmental Factors
| Factor | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Low oxygen availability | low-O2 coculture condition | N/A |
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| Initial partner biomass ratio | low ratios beneficial; elevated methanotroph abundance inhibitory | N/A |
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