Methane monooxygenase and their potential role in methane mitigation

Methane monooxygenase is the key role enzyme used by the ubiquitous group of methanotrophs to assimilate methane as a source of energy and carbon. This enzyme in both of its forms, soluble and particulate, lacks of substrate specificity, allowing methanotrophs to use other hydrocarbons as co-substrates. This ability is of special interest in bioremediation applications such as biodegradation of chlorinated compounds and in methane mitigation. The use of methanotrophic bacteria based technologies has contributed in the development of strategies to reduce methane emissions from "hat spots" such as landfills. The new generation of metagenomics techniques can help to find methanotrophic bacteria with special characteristics to fulfill specific necessities such as high methane affinity for biocovers and biofilter technologies.