Methane formation in cells (IMAGE)
Caption
ROS-driven methane formation in cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are generated during cellular metabolism and their production is enhanced by oxidative stress. Cells need iron for survival and reduce iron(III) [Fe3+] to iron(II) [Fe2+]. The interaction of ROS and Fe2+ leads to the Fenton reaction and thus to the formation of highly reactive tetravalent iron (FeIV) compounds and hydroxyl (-OH) radicals. These, in turn, attack methylated sulfur or nitrogen compounds (e.g. methionine), which are produced by cells or taken up from the environment. In doing so, a methyl radical (•CH3) is formed by oxidative demethylation, which then, by abstraction of a hydrogen atom (e.g., from other hydrocarbons), reacts to methane (CH4).
Credit
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology/Ernst
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