生物技术通报 ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (2): 3-16.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2025-1100

• 厌氧微生物专题(专题主编:承磊 研究员) • 上一篇    下一篇

厌氧甲烷氧化古菌共生机制的研究进展

赵雨婷(), 喻航()   

  1. 北京大学城市与环境学院,北京 100871
  • 收稿日期:2025-10-16 出版日期:2026-02-26 发布日期:2026-03-17
  • 通讯作者: 喻航,男,博士,研究员,研究方向 :环境微生物;E-mail: yuhanghank@pku.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:赵雨婷,女,博士研究生,研究方向 :厌氧甲烷氧化微生物;E-mail: ytzhao@stu.pku.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金面上项目(42377109);国家重点研发计划青年科学家项目(2023YFD1302500)

Advances in the Symbiotic Mechanisms of Anaerobic Methanotrophic Archaea

ZHAO Yu-ting(), YU Hang()   

  1. College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871
  • Received:2025-10-16 Published:2026-02-26 Online:2026-03-17

摘要:

厌氧甲烷氧化(AOM)是全球碳循环中的关键过程,对遏制甲烷排放和缓解气候变化具有重要作用。该过程一类主要执行者为厌氧甲烷氧化古菌(ANME),它直接或与细菌协同,将AOM与不同还原电位的最终电子受体,如硫酸盐、腐殖质、金属氧化物以及硝酸盐等耦合反应。其中,AOM与硫酸盐还原耦合反应的吉布斯自由能变化极低(ΔG°' = -17 kJ/mol),且所获得的能量需要与其共生硫酸盐还原细菌(SRB)进行有效分配,因此ANME与SRB之间的高效能量转移机制自1999年ANME发现以来一直是研究核心。本文综述了AOM及其关键微生物的研究历程,重点探讨了ANME与SRB之间的3种共生模式假说(可扩散化学中间体、零价硫、直接种间电子传输),并总结了通过环境观测或富集培养发现的ANME及其共生或伴生伙伴的系统发育多样性与潜在互作方式。这些研究不仅加深了对AOM这一关键生物地球化学过程的认识,也为全面揭示其种间互作机制并拓展其应用潜力提供了参考。

关键词: 厌氧甲烷氧化, 甲烷氧化古菌, 共生机制, 直接种间电子传输, 硫酸盐还原菌

Abstract:

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is a key process in the global carbon cycle, playing a vital role in curbing methane emissions and mitigating climate change. The primary mediators of this process are anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME), which oxidize methane either independently or in cooperation with partner bacteria by coupling AOM to terminal electron acceptors with varying redox potentials, such as sulfate, humic substances, metal oxides, and nitrate. AOM coupled to sulfate reduction yields extremely low Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°' = -17 kJ/mol), and the energy yield must be efficiently allocated with their symbiotic sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB). Consequently, the symbiotic mechanism in AOM has been a central research focus since the discovery of ANME in 1999. This review outlines the research progress on the microorganisms mediating AOM, with an emphasis on three hypothesized symbiotic models between ANME and SRB: diffusible chemical intermediates, zero-valent sulfur, and direct interspecies electron transport. Additionally, we summarize the phylogenetic diversity and potential interaction mechanisms of ANME and their symbiotic or associated partners revealed by environmental observations and enrichment cultures. Together, these advances have not only enhanced our understanding of the AOM process but also paved the way to uncover the full range of interspecies interaction mechanisms and broaden potential biotechnological applications.

Key words: anaerobic oxidation of methane, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, symbiotic mechanism, direct interspecies electron transport, sulfate-reducing bacteria