Methanogens: a window into ancient sulfur metabolism

Methanogenesis is an ancient metabolism that originated on the early anoxic Earth. The buildup of O2 about 2.4 billion years ago led to formation of a large oceanic sulfate pool, the onset of widespread sulfate reduction and the marginalization of methanogens to anoxic and sulfate-poor niches. Contemporary methanogens are restricted to anaerobic habitats and may have retained some metabolic relics that were common in early anaerobic life. Consistent with this hypothesis, methanogens do not utilize sulfate as a sulfur source, Cys is not utilized as a sulfur donor for Fe–S cluster and Met biosynthesis, and Cys biosynthesis uses an unusual tRNA-dependent pathway.