New Methane Inhibitor Exhibits Enhanced Intracellular Accumulation and Inhibits Rumen Methanogenesis

Ruminant livestock production, a major anthropogenic source of methane (CH4) emissions, has become a central focus in global climate mitigation and sustainable agricultural development.

In a study published in The ISME Journal, a team of researchers led by Prof. WANG Min from the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture of the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the mechanism by which 1,3-propanediol dinitrate (1,3-PDN), a hydrophobic rumen-targeted CH4 inhibitor, suppresses CH4 production

Researchers designed and synthesized a hydrophobic small-molecule compound, 1,3-PDN, based on the structural framework of hydrophilic CH4 inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP). They showed that hydrophobic properties of 1,3-PDN promoted its accumulation within methanogenic archaeal cells, increasing its accessibility to intracellular targets.

Further investigations demonstrated that 1,3-PDN significantly reduced CH4 production in an in-vitro rumen fermentation system. The 1,3-PDN primarily inhibited methanogenesis by suppressing the metabolic activity of hydrogenotrophic methanogenic archaea.

Through molecular docking and proteomic analyses, researchers found that 1,3-PDN interfered with terminal methanogenesis reaction catalyzed by methyl-coenzyme M reductase and affected multiple redox-related processes involved in methanogenesis, thereby inhibiting CH4 production.

The findings of this study lay a theoretical foundation for the development of next-generation rumen-targeted CH4 inhibitors, and provide a novel approach for promoting the low-carbon transformation of the global livestock industry.