Methanothermobacter — Biokatalysator für die Energiewende

Methanothermobacter is a thermophilic genus within the kingdom of Euryarchaeota. Chemolithoautotrophic growth on H2 and CO2 at 65 °C is rapid and to high cell concentrations. Champions in this respect are the species M. thermautotrophicus and M. marburgensis, which were used to elucidate the unique biochemistry of methane formation from H2 and CO2. These two species are presently also being explored as biocatalysts in the industrial conversion of electrolytically produced H2 to “green” methane.