Uncovering potential autotrophs in coal seams: characterization, enrichment, and genome-resolved metabolisms of a subsurface coal seam microbiome.

Six autotrophic pathways, including four natural and two synthetic, were identified in coal seam microbiomes, revealing diverse carbon fixation strategies.

• Why it matters: Understanding microbial autotrophic processes in coal seams is crucial because these ecosystems harbor untapped microbial potential for carbon transformation and biofuel production.
• What they did: The study characterized coal seam produced water from the Appalachian Basin, enriched microbial communities on H2:CO2, and used genome-resolved analysis to identify multiple autotrophic pathways in the microbiome.
• The result: Findings demonstrate the microbiome’s versatile carbon fixation capabilities, especially via the reductive glycine pathway, enabling potential biotechnological applications in sustainable chemical and fuel production.