Methanosarcina acetivorans UV mutant raw sequence reads. Methanosarcina acetivorans

Bacterial and archaeal genomes can contain up to 30% or more hypothetical genes with no predicted function. Phylogenetically deep-branching microbes, such as methane-producing archaea (methanogens), contain up to 50% genes with unknown function. These unknown genes are a potentially untapped resource of metabolic diversity that could encode new enzyme functions. In order to formulate hypotheses about the function of hypothetical gene functions in the strict anaerobe, Methanosarcina acetivorans, we have developed semi-throughput anaerobic techniques to UV mutagenize, screen, and select for mutant strains in 96-well plates. Using these approaches we have isolated mutant strains that exhibit a variety of physiological changes including increased or decreased growth rate relative to the parent strain when cells use methanol and/or acetate as carbon and energy sources.