%0 Journal Article %A Portugal, Rebecca %A Shao, Nana %A Whitman, William B. %A Allen, Kylie D. %A White, Robert H. %T Identification and biosynthesis of 2-(1H-imidazol-5-yl) ethan-1-ol (histaminol) in methanogenic archaea %D 2019 %J Microbiology, %V 165 %N 4 %P 455-462 %@ 1465-2080 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.000779 %K siderophores %K methanogens %K Histaminol %I Microbiology Society, %X Histaminol is a relatively rare metabolite most commonly resulting from histidine metabolism. Here we describe histaminol production and secretion into the culture broth by the methanogen Methanococcus maripaludis S2 as well as a number of other methanogens. This work is the first identification of this compound as a natural product in methanogens. Its biosynthesis from histidine was confirmed by the incorporation of 2H3-histidine into histaminol by growing cells of M. maripaludis S2. Possible functions of this molecule could be cell signaling as observed with histamine in eukaryotes or uptake of metal ions. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.000779