High-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Candidatus Methanoperedens sp. Strain BLZ2, a Nitrate-Reducing Anaerobic Methane-Oxidizing Archaeon Enriched in an Anoxic Bioreactor

The high-quality draft genome of Candidatus Methanoperedens sp. strain BLZ2, a nitrate-reducing archaeon anaerobically oxidizing methane, is presented. The genome was obtained from an enrichment culture and measures 3.74 Mb. It harbors two nitrate reductase gene clusters, an ammonium-forming nitrite reductase, and the complete reverse methanogenesis pathway. Methane that escapes to the atmosphere acts as a potent greenhouse gas. Global methane emissions are mitigated by methanotrophs, which oxidize methane to CO2. Candidatus Methanoperedens spp. are unique methanotrophic archaea that can perform nitrate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane. A high-quality draft genome sequence of only 85 contigs from this archaeon is presented here.