Alexandria Digital Research Library

Sulfur isotope fractionation accompanies dimethylsulfide disproportionation by Methanosarcina sp. strain mtp4

Author:
Shusta, Stephani Setsuko
Degree Grantor:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Geological Sciences
Degree Supervisor:
David L. Valentine
Place of Publication:
[Santa Barbara, Calif.]
Publisher:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Creation Date:
2013
Issued Date:
2013
Topics:
Geobiology and Geochemistry
Keywords:
Sulfur isotope fractionation
Methanosarcina sp. strain MTP4
Dimethylsulfide
Genres:
Online resources and Dissertations, Academic
Dissertation:
M.S.--University of California, Santa Barbara, 2013
Description:

Methanogens are a group of anaerobic microorganisms of the domain Archaea that produce methane as an end product of metabolism. Most methanogens reduce carbon dioxide or ferment acetate to produce methane, but a small subset utilizes other substrates for methane production. Methanosarcina sp. strain MTP4, a methanogen originally isolated from a salt marsh, utilizes methanol, monomethylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine as well as the volatile methylated sulfur compounds methanethiol (MT) and dimethylsulfide (DMS). With MT and DMS consumption, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and carbon dioxide are produced. In this study, closed system incubations of the methanogen Methanosarcina sp. strain MTP4 were conducted to quantify the stable sulfur (34S/32S) isotope fractionation during DMS consumption. Calculations show a sulfur isotope fractionation factor (epsilon) of about -8 per mil between the sulfur in DMS and that in the resulting hydrogen sulfide. The methanogens preferentially utilized DMS with the lighter sulfur isotope, thereby enriching unutilized DMS. These results provide further data that can be used to understand the biogeochemistry of sulfur and methane in anoxic environments.

Physical Description:
1 online resource (39 pages)
Format:
Text
Collection(s):
UCSB electronic theses and dissertations
ARK:
ark:/48907/f31r6nmw
ISBN:
9781303731822
Catalog System Number:
990041153420203776
Rights:
Inc.icon only.dark In Copyright
Copyright Holder:
Stephani Shusta
Access: This item is restricted to on-campus access only. Please check our FAQs or contact UCSB Library staff if you need additional assistance.