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Mixed Methanotrophic Consortium for Applications in Environmental Bioengineering and Biocatalysis

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Methane Biocatalysis: Paving the Way to Sustainability

Abstract

A mixed methanotrophic consortium (MMC) is generally considered to be a complex mixed culture system where methanotrophs predominate and coexist with other microorganisms. MMCs not only have the unique characteristics of methanotrophs like methane assimilation and broad substrate range but also can overcome the shortcomings in pure methanotrophic cultivation like slow growth rate, difficulty in growing high cell density, and poor MMO stability, indicating their promising prospects in environmental bioengineering and biocatalysis. This chapter focuses on the acquisition of MMCs, interactions among methanotrophs and their coexisting heterotrophs, and recent highlights on theoretical research and engineering trials. MMCs can be obtained through enrichment culture from methane-rich environments, mixing different methanotrophs together or stimulating the indigenous methane-oxidizing bacteria for in situ applications. Large-scale and rapid preparation and long-term preservation of MMCs with stable function and community structure are achievable by appropriate methods. Methanotrophs and the coexisting heterotrophs in MMCs can exchange metabolites and also interact with each other via more complex metabolisms and synergic effects, forming a huge, multi-role, and dynamic ecological network. In environmental bioengineering, applying MMCs in methane mitigation and co-metabolism of contaminants are more promising. Single cell protein is a useful bioproduct capable of being produced by MMCs, and biopolymer like PHB by MMCs also has bright prospect. Combined with other functional systems and exploration of biological dark matter of a consortium, MMCs can greatly expand the application fields. With the advances in multi-omic analysis of methanotrophs and the development of synthetic biology and ecoinformatics, more achievements for MMCs can be expected.

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Abbreviations

1,1-DCE:

1,1-dichloroethylene

AME-D:

aerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification

BTZ:

benzotriazole

cDCE:

cis-l,2-dichloroethylene

CSTR:

continuous stirred tank reactor

DMSO:

dimethyl sulfoxide

DO:

dissolved oxygen

DW:

dry weight

HCFCs:

hydrochlorofluorocarbons

HFCs:

hydrofluorocarbons

LAS:

alkylbenzene sulfonate

MMC:

mixed methanotrophic consortium

MMCs:

mixed methanotrophic consortia

MMO:

methane monooxygenase

MOB:

methane-oxidizing bacteria

MOC:

methane oxidation capacity

NMS:

nitrate mineral salt

PFR:

plug flow reactor

PHA:

polyhydroxyalkanoate

PHB:

polyhydroxybutyrate

pMMO:

particulate methane monooxygenase

RuMP:

ribulose monophosphate

SCP:

single cell protein

sMMO:

soluble methane monooxygenase

SMX:

sulfamethoxazole

TCE:

trichloroethylene

t-DCE:

trans-1,2-dichloroethylene

TT:

trehalose and tryptic soy broth

VC:

vinyl chloride

VSS:

volatile suspended solids

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of New Energy, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China

    Hao Jiang

  2. MOE Key Lab of Industrial Biocatalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Xin-Hui Xing

Authors
  1. Hao Jiang
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  2. Xin-Hui Xing
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA

    Marina G. Kalyuzhnaya

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Xin-Hui Xing

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Jiang, H., Xing, XH. (2018). Mixed Methanotrophic Consortium for Applications in Environmental Bioengineering and Biocatalysis. In: Kalyuzhnaya, M., Xing, XH. (eds) Methane Biocatalysis: Paving the Way to Sustainability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74866-5_15

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