methanogen

American  

[me-than-uh-juhn, -jen] / mɛˈθæn ə dʒən, -ˌdʒɛn /

noun

Microbiology.

1. any of a diverse group of widely distributed archaea that occur in anaerobic environments, as the intestinal tracts of animals, freshwater and marine sediments, and sewage, and are capable of producing methane from a limited number of substrates, including carbon dioxide and hydrogen, acetate, and methylamines: an important source of natural gas.

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Other Word Forms

• methanogenic adjective

Etymology

Origin of methanogen

First recorded in 1975–80; methan(e) ( def. ) + -o- + -gen

Example Sentences

"Before us, no one ever tried to study an enzyme from such a methanogen for an electrode-based gas conversion," says Tristan Wagner.

From Science Daily • Sep. 28, 2023

Still, much of Earth's methane is produced in methanogenesis, the biological process by which methanogen bacteria consume carbon dioxide and belch methane.

From Salon • Sep. 21, 2021