Methanogen acetoclastic · Methanogen hydrogenotrophic · Methanogen methylotrophic
Methanosarcina barkeri Fusaro
Halobacteriota · Methanosarcinia · Methanosarcinaceae
- Methanogen
- DIET partner
- Electromethanogenesis
- Tier 1
01 · Identity
Identity
Where this organism sits in the tree of life, how to obtain it, and what a cell looks like.
Lineage
- domainArchaea
- ›phylumHalobacteriota
- ›classMethanosarcinia
- ›orderMethanosarcinales
- ›familyMethanosarcinaceae
- ›genusMethanosarcina
- ›speciesMethanosarcina barkeri Fusaro
Culture collections & accessions
- NCBI taxon
- 269797
Cell morphology
Sarcina packets · Archaeal s layer only
- Motile: no
02 · Electron transfer
Electron transfer
How electrons cross the cell envelope — the property that makes a microbe useful in an electrochemical system.
Mechanisms
Direct transfer — detail
- Notes
- Rotaru et al. (2014) report direct cathode electron uptake. Subsequent work shows much of the current is mediated via abiotically generated H2; the genuine DET fraction remains contested.
- Completeness
- Contested
Other
- Cathode electron uptake mechanism
- Contested
03 · Growth envelope
Growth envelope
The conditions this organism tolerates and what it eats and breathes — the operating window for a reactor.
Energy metabolism
Electron donors
- H2
- Acetate
- Methanol
- Cathode
Electron acceptors
- CO2
Carbon sources
- Acetate
- CO2
- Methanol
- Methylamines
Metabolism — detail
- Carbon fixation pathway
- Wood ljungdahl
04 · Performance
Performance
Reported electrochemical output, the role it plays in a reactor, and what it produces.
Role in a reactor
Products (1)
| Product | Max titer (g/L) | Max rate | Coulombic efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| methane | — | — | — |
05 · Ecology & biofilm
Ecology & biofilm
How it lives on an electrode, who it partners with, and where it is found in nature.
Electron-exchange partners (1)
- ← takes e⁻ fromGeobacter metallireducens GS-15
DIET co-culture with G. metallireducens for methanogenesis from ethanol.
Co culture demonstrated
Ecosystems
- Anaerobic digester
- Freshwater
- Rice paddy
- Sediment freshwater
06 · Applications, engineering & safety
Applications, engineering & safety
Where it has been put to work, how tractable it is to engineer, and what handling it requires.
Applications (1)
- Microbial electrosynthesis methane · Bench scaleTRL 4/9
Biosafety
- Pathogen: no
07 · Sources & data quality
Sources & data quality
Every value above traces to a citation. This is how complete and how confident the record is.
Record quality
Literature reviewed 2026-05-13 · schema v1.3.0 · updated 2026-05-13 · imported 2026-05-13
Open data gaps (2)
- Direct vs H2-mediated cathode uptake: contested fraction. Reports use mixed conventions for 'direct' vs 'indirect'.
- Pure-culture electromethanogenesis rates rarely reported with sufficient gas-headspace controls.
References (2)
- Cheng S, et al. (2009). Direct biological conversion of electrical current into methane by electromethanogenesis. Environ Sci Technol 43:3953-3958.doi:10.1021/es803531g
- Rotaru AE, et al. (2014). A new model for electron flow during anaerobic digestion: direct interspecies electron transfer to Methanosaeta for the reduction of carbon dioxide to methane. Energy Environ Sci 7:408-415.doi:10.1039/C3EE42189A