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Methylotrophic Methanogenesis in Hydraulically Fractured Shales

Marcus, Daniel N, Marcus
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1466564193

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Microbiology.
Over the last decade shale gas obtained from hydraulic fracturing of deep shale formations has become a sizeable component of the US energy portfolio. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that methanogenic archaea are both present and active in hydraulically fractured shales. However, little is known about the genomic architecture of shale derived methanogens. Here we leveraged natural gas extraction activities in the Appalachian region to gain access to fluid samples from two geographically and geologically distinct shale formations. Samples were collected over a time series from both shales for a period of greater than eleven months. Using assembly based metagenomics, two methanogen genomes from the genus Methanohalophilus were recovered and estimated to be near complete (97.1 and 100%) by 104 archaeal single copy genes. Additionally, a Methanohalophilus isolate was obtained which yielded a genome estimated to be 100% complete by the same metric. Based on metabolic reconstruction, it is inferred that these organisms utilize C-1 methyl substrates for methanogenesis. The ability to utilize monomethylamine, dimethylamine and methanol was experimentally confirmed with the Methanohalophilus isolate. In situ concentrations of C-1 methyl substrates, osmoprotectants, and Cl- were measured in parallel with estimates of community membership. The appearance of the methanogenic genus Methanohalophilus followed different geochemical trends in the two shale environments. To adapt to the high osmolarities measured in the two shale systems, all recovered genomes encoded three distinct strategies for osmoprotection. This includes the synthesis of the compatible organic solute glycine betaine from glycine, which has been shown to be a capability in some methanogenic archaea. The overall scheme of carbon cycling for the three analyzed Methanohalophilus genomes is described. Collectively, this investigation constitutes the first in depth genomic and complementary physiological analysis of methanogens obtained from the economically important shale environment.
Kelly Wrighton, PhD (Advisor)
Joseph Krzycki, PhD (Committee Member)
Charles Daniels, PhD (Committee Member)
Matthew Sullivan, PhD (Committee Member)
86 p.
Microbiology
Shale; Methanogen; Methanogenesis; hydraulic fracturing; methylotrophic; subsurface; terrestrial; C1

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Marcus, Marcus, D. N. (2016). Methylotrophic Methanogenesis in Hydraulically Fractured Shales [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1466564193

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Marcus, Marcus, Daniel. Methylotrophic Methanogenesis in Hydraulically Fractured Shales. 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1466564193.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Marcus, Marcus, Daniel. "Methylotrophic Methanogenesis in Hydraulically Fractured Shales." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1466564193

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1466564193
562
© 2016, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Methylotrophic Methanogenesis in Hydraulically Fractured Shales by Daniel N Marcus Marcus is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.