MS used in electron transport study

Scientists have used mass spectrometry (MS) to investigate the membrane-bound electron transport chain of acetate-grown M. acetivorans.

The study, published by BMC Microbiology and undertaken by a team at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Pennsylvania State University, sought to create a more complete understanding of acetotrophic methanogens.

Their report claimed that while the majority of Methanosarcina species are unable to metabolise H2, electron transport has only previously been studied in species for which H2 is a necessary intermediate.

"M. acetivorans is proposed to utilise a fundamentally different electron transport pathway based on bio-informatic, proteomic and genetic approaches," it claimed.

According to the team, following MS analysis, the results support the energy-conserving electron transport pathway of non-H2-utilising acetotrophic methanogens for the roles of ferredoxin, cytochrome c and methanophenazine (MP).

This suggests that diverse acetotrophic Methanosarcina species may have developed diverse membrane-bound electron transport pathways from ferredoxin and culminating with MP donating electrons.