New paper in Nature Microbiology reports widespread trace gas oxidisers in global soils

Soil bacteria that can oxidise atmospheric trace gases (H2, CO, and to a lesser extent CH4) are the majority, not the minority. In our new study, led by Sean Bay, Eleonora Chiri and Chris Greening of Monash University, we profile the metabolism of soil microbial communities using genome-resolved metagenomics, in situ and ex situ biogeochemistry, and thermodynamic modelling. We find that trace gas oxidizers are widespread and active members of soil microbial communities. Bacteria than can oxidise these gases span at least 19 phyla, and rapidly consume atmospheric hydrogen and carbon monoxide to supply energy - conferring a major selective advantage in soil ecosystems where availability of soil organic matter is a major limit to growth. This finding has broad implications for understanding atmospheric chemistry and microbial biodiversity in a changing world. You can read the paper here:

Bay S, Dong X, Bradley J, Leung P M, Grinter R, Jirapanjawat T, Arndt S, Cook P, LaRowe D, Nauer P, Chiri E, Greening C. (2021) Trace gas oxidizers are widespread and active members of soil microbial communities. Nature Microbiology. doi: 10.1038/s41564-020-00811-w