This article presents the draft genome sequence of Methanosarcina mazei strain OFF1024, isolated from paddy field sediments of Pondicherry, India. The genome was sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq PE150 platform and assembled de novo with MEGAHIT, resulting in a 4.07 Mb genome comprising 260 contigs with a GC content of 41.56%. Genome annotation identified 3,459 coding sequences, 44 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. Comparative genomic analysis using TYGS confirmed the strain’s placement within the M. mazei species cluster, supported by high dDDH similarity to M. mazei C16 and M. mazei S-6. Functional gene mining revealed the nitrogen fixing gene set, including nitrogenase structural subunits, regulatory components, hydrogenases, and Fe–Mo cofactor biosynthesis genes, indicating the diazotrophic potential of this methanogen. The genome additionally encodes diverse methanogenesis pathways and stress-response mechanisms relevant to flooded agroecosystems. This dataset provides a valuable genomic resource for studying methanogenic archaea in paddy soils, supporting future research on methane cycling, archaeal ecology, nitrogen fixation, and bioenergy applications.
Prathaban et al. (Sun,) studied this question.