methanogens or acetogens for available reducing power (e.g., H 2 ) to convert CO 2 to
C 2 H 6 .
30.9 Other Gases I have Known
Somewhere in the mid-1990s, I sensed that I had pretty much gone as far as I could
with methane, methanogens, and the ecophysiology of the process were concerned.
The field was moving toward understanding AOM or of better characterizing the
microbes in sediments using the new and evolving methods of molecular markers
(i.e., culture-independent techniques). Although I had plenty of other research to
keep me busy, I did regret falling out of the methanogenesis pack. The late Ralph
Cicerone made a suggestion that I take up the biogeochemistry of methyl halides,
specifically the fumigant methyl bromide, and I took his advice to heart. My
associates and I had a lot of fun working in this realm because much of the
microbiology was unknown. Some of the salient discoveries we made, along with
our collaborating colleagues, was the isolation of an aerobic, methylotrophic bacterium, strain IMB-1 that grew on methyl bromide and other methyl halides (Connell
et al. 1997; Miller et al. 1997; Connell Hancock et al. 1998). We named the isolate
Aminobacterium ciceronii to honor Ralph (McDonald et al. 2005). We also
conducted experiments on stable C isotope fractionation of methyl halides (Miller
et al. 2001, 2004) and an attempt at using strain IMB-1 to remove methyl bromide
from containerized fumigations (Miller et al. 2003).
Finally, I will make brief mention of a gas that has been with me through my
entire career, namely acetylene. It was the subject of one of my very first papers
(Oremland and Taylor 1975) and persisted over the years as we stumbled upon
anaerobes that can grow fermentatively on acetylene (Culbertson et al. 1981, 1988).
The effort encompassed touching on early (primordial) microbial food webs and
exobiology (Oremland and Voytek 2008), practical efforts to discern how widespread “acetylenotrophy” is in nature (Miller et al. 2013), and a life detection system
based on stable carbon isotope fractionation (Miller et al. 2015). Other efforts were
along the lines of bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes (Mao et al. 2017), other
facets including diazotrophy (Akob et al. 2017) and its possible widespread nature
based on modern molecular databases (Akob et al. 2018).
In summary, if my opening statement about being remembered for my gas will
fade with the passage of time, I sure do remember having a “gas” actually doing the
work, making the discoveries, and working with the wonderful people with whom I
collaborated over my career.
30 BUBBLES in the MUD: A Reminiscence and Perspective
649
C 2 H 6 .
30.9 Other Gases I have Known
Somewhere in the mid-1990s, I sensed that I had pretty much gone as far as I could
with methane, methanogens, and the ecophysiology of the process were concerned.
The field was moving toward understanding AOM or of better characterizing the
microbes in sediments using the new and evolving methods of molecular markers
(i.e., culture-independent techniques). Although I had plenty of other research to
keep me busy, I did regret falling out of the methanogenesis pack. The late Ralph
Cicerone made a suggestion that I take up the biogeochemistry of methyl halides,
specifically the fumigant methyl bromide, and I took his advice to heart. My
associates and I had a lot of fun working in this realm because much of the
microbiology was unknown. Some of the salient discoveries we made, along with
our collaborating colleagues, was the isolation of an aerobic, methylotrophic bacterium, strain IMB-1 that grew on methyl bromide and other methyl halides (Connell
et al. 1997; Miller et al. 1997; Connell Hancock et al. 1998). We named the isolate
Aminobacterium ciceronii to honor Ralph (McDonald et al. 2005). We also
conducted experiments on stable C isotope fractionation of methyl halides (Miller
et al. 2001, 2004) and an attempt at using strain IMB-1 to remove methyl bromide
from containerized fumigations (Miller et al. 2003).
Finally, I will make brief mention of a gas that has been with me through my
entire career, namely acetylene. It was the subject of one of my very first papers
(Oremland and Taylor 1975) and persisted over the years as we stumbled upon
anaerobes that can grow fermentatively on acetylene (Culbertson et al. 1981, 1988).
The effort encompassed touching on early (primordial) microbial food webs and
exobiology (Oremland and Voytek 2008), practical efforts to discern how widespread “acetylenotrophy” is in nature (Miller et al. 2013), and a life detection system
based on stable carbon isotope fractionation (Miller et al. 2015). Other efforts were
along the lines of bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes (Mao et al. 2017), other
facets including diazotrophy (Akob et al. 2017) and its possible widespread nature
based on modern molecular databases (Akob et al. 2018).
In summary, if my opening statement about being remembered for my gas will
fade with the passage of time, I sure do remember having a “gas” actually doing the
work, making the discoveries, and working with the wonderful people with whom I
collaborated over my career.
30 BUBBLES in the MUD: A Reminiscence and Perspective
649