Open AccessChloromethane stimulates growth of Methylomicrobium album BG8 on methanol
Author(s) -
Han JongIn,
Semrau Jeremy D
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2000.tb09140.x
Subject(s) - chloromethane , methane monooxygenase , methanol , chemistry , substrate (aquarium) , methane , biomass (ecology) , environmental chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , biology , ecology
Studies were performed to determine if the growth of Methylomicrobium album BG8 on methanol could be enhanced through the provision of chloromethane. M. album BG8 was found to be able to oxidize chloromethane via the particulate methane monooxygenase with an apparent K s of 11±3 μM and V max of 15±0.6 nmol (min mg protein) −1 . When up to 2.6 mM chloromethane was provided with 5 mM methanol, methanotrophic growth was significantly enhanced in comparison to the absence of chloromethane, indicating that methanotrophs can utilize chloromethane to support growth, although it could not serve as a sole growth substrate. [ 14 C]chloromethane was found to be oxidized to [ 14 C]CO 2 as well as incorporated into biomass. These results indicate that reactions previously thought to be cometabolic may actually provide some benefit to methanotrophs and that these cells can use multiple compounds to enhance growth.