Summary
A new obligate methylotrophic bacterium capable of rapid growth on methanol as its sole carbon and energy source was isolated. The organism grows only on methanol and not on methane or methylamine. It is a gram-negative, motile rod (0.5×1.5 μm) with a single polar flagellum and was therefore classified as a species ofMethylomonas.
The doubling time was about 2 hr at pH 7.0, at a temperature of 30 to 36°C and at a methanol concentration of 1% (v/v).
Cell suspensions were able to oxidize methanol, formaldehyde, and formate; therefore it seems that methanol-, formaldehyde-, and formate-oxidizing enzymes are present in the bacterium. While no hydroxy pyruvate reductase activity was found, the cell extract contained high hexulose phosphate-synthetase activity, indicating the assimilation of methanol via the ribulose phosphate-pathway.
The protein content of the bacterium is 60% and the amino acid pattern indicates that this strain could serve as a good source of single cell protein.
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Sahm, H., Wagner, F. Isolation and characterization of an obligate methanol-utilizing bacteriumMethylomonas M-15 . European J. Appl Microbiol. 1, 147–158 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00942211
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00942211