In the present study, a methanogenic alkane-degrading (a mixture of C9 to C12n-alkanes) culture enriched from production water of a low-temperature oil reservoir was established and assessed. Significant methane production was detected in the alkane-amended enrichment cultures compared with alkane-free controls over an incubation period of 1 year. At the end of the incubation, fumarate addition metabolites (C9 to C12 alkylsuccinates) and assA genes (encoding the alpha subunit of alkylsuccinate synthase) were detected only in the alkane-amended enrichment cultures. Microbial community analysis showed that putative syntrophic n-alkane degraders (Smithella) capable of initiating n-alkanes by fumarate addition mechanism were enriched in the alkane-amended enrichment cultures. In addition, both hydrogenotrophic (Methanocalculus) and acetoclastic (Methanothrix) methanogens were also observed. Our results provide further evidence that alkanes can be activated by addition to fumarate under methanogenic conditions.

中文翻译：

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史密斯拉通过富马酸酯加成机理将甲烷从C9产甲烷生物降解为C12n烷烃。

在本研究中，建立并评估了从低温油层的采出水中富集的产甲烷的降解烷烃（C9与C12n烷烃的混合物）的培养物。在1年的潜伏期中，与不含烷烃的对照相比，在经烷烃修饰的浓缩培养物中检测到大量甲烷产生。孵育结束时，仅在烷烃修饰的富集培养物中检测到富马酸酯加成代谢物（C9至C12烷基琥珀酸）和assA基因（编码烷基琥珀酸合酶的α亚基）。微生物群落分析表明，能够通过富马酸酯加成机理引发正构烷烃的假定的同养型正构烷烃降解剂（Smithella）在烷烃改良的富集培养物中得到了丰富。此外，还观察到了氢营养型（甲烷化球菌）和乙酰碎裂的（甲烷化甲烷）产甲烷菌。我们的结果提供了进一步的证据，表明在产甲烷条件下，可以通过向富马酸酯中添加烷烃来活化烷烃。