Effects of CO 2 and H 2 limitations on Methanococcus maripaludis

Abstract

Microbial physiology has increasingly been studied under dynamic substrate conditions, expanding beyond the classical focus on balanced growth. While starvation is typically associated with a halt in cellular growth and activity, how cells enter starvation influences their recovery dynamics. We demonstrate that starvation caused by a lack of electron donor vs electron acceptor results in distinctly different revival behaviors in the methanogenic Archaea, Methanococcus maripaludis . Methanogens play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, participating in the anaerobic breakdown of organic matter to methane and carbon dioxide. They are also of biotechnological significance, being central to anaerobic digestion processes and power-to-gas technology. Thus, our results showing improved recovery from electron donor over electron acceptor starvation may prove essential for optimizing methanogenesis processes across various applications.