Methanobacteriati

Methanobacteriati is a taxonomic group of methanogenic archaea whose members produce methane under anaerobic conditions.

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Methanogenesis: Methanogenesis is the microbial production of methane, mainly by archaea, through several anaerobic metabolic pathways. It is the shared methane-producing metabolism that defines this group.
Archaea: Archaea are single-celled prokaryotes distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes in their evolutionary history and cellular chemistry. Methanobacteriati belong to this domain, not to Bacteria.
Anaerobic digestion: A microbial process that breaks down organic matter without oxygen, producing biogas and digestate. Methanogens including members of this group can form methane in digesters.
Methanobacteriales: An order of methanogenic archaea containing the family Methanobacteriaceae. This named order is a central lineage associated with Methanobacteriati.
Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis: An anaerobic pathway that reduces carbon dioxide to methane using hydrogen as an electron donor. Many Methanobacteriati use hydrogen to drive carbon dioxide reduction.
Methanogens: Methanogens are microorganisms that produce methane as part of their energy metabolism. This broader functional group includes Methanobacteriati and other archaeal lineages.
Biogas: A gas mixture, chiefly methane and carbon dioxide, produced by anaerobic breakdown of organic matter. Methanobacteriati can contribute the methane component of biogas.
Methanobacteriaceae: A family of methanogenic archaea that includes the genus Methanobacterium. Its members exemplify the methane-producing organisms placed within this group.
Methyl-coenzyme M reductase: An enzyme that catalyzes the final methane-forming step in methanogenesis. This enzyme performs the terminal reaction in methane production by the group.
Archaeal membrane: An archaeal cell membrane built from ether-linked lipids, often with isoprenoid chains. Its distinctive chemistry helps separate archaeal cells from bacterial and eukaryotic cells.