Detection of coenzyme F430 in deep sea sediments: A key molecule for biological methanogenesis

We report the presence of coenzyme factor 430 (F430), a prosthetic group of methyl coenzyme M reductase for archaeal methanogenesis, in the deep sub-seafloor biosphere. At 106.7 m depth in sediment collected off Shimokita Peninsula, northwestern Pacific, its concentration was estimated to be at least 40 fmol g sediment−1 (i.e. 36 pg g−1 wet sediment). This is about three orders of magnitude lower than typical concentrations of archaeal intact polar lipids in similar sub-seafloor sediments. On the basis of the concentration of F430 in methanogens and conversion to biomass composed of typical sub-seafloor microbial cells, we estimated that ca. 2 × 106 cells g−1 could be methanogens in the deeply buried marine sediment.