Abstract
An obligate methanol-oxidizing bacterium, Methylobacillus sp. strain SK1, which grows only on methanol was isolated from soil. The isolate was nonmotile Gram-negtive rod. It does not have internal membrane system. The colonies were small, whitish-yellow, and smooth. The guanine plus cytosine content of the DNA was 48 mol%. Cellular fatty acids consisted predominantly of large amounts of straight-chain saturated $C_{16:0}$ acid and unsaturated $C_{16:1}$ acid. The major ubiquinone was Q-8, and Q-10 was present as minor component. The cell was obligately aerobic and exhibited catalase, but no oxidase, activity. Poly-.betha.-hydroxybutyrate, endospores, or cysts were not observed. the isolate could grow only on methanol in mineral medium. Growth factors were not required. The isolate was unable to use methane, formaldehyde, formate, methylamine, and several other organic compounds tested as a sole source of carbon and energy. Growth was optimal at 35.deg.C and pH 7.5. It could not grow at 42.deg.C. The doubling time was 1.2h at 30.deg.C when grown with 1.0%(v/v) methanol. The growth was not affected by antibiotics inhibiting cell wall synthesis and carbon monoxide but was completely suppressed by those inhibiting protein synthesis. Methanol was found to be assimilated through the ribulose monophosphate pathway. Cytochromes of b-, c-, and o- types were found. Cell-free extracts contained a phenazine methosulfate-linked methanol dehydrogenase activity, which required ammonium ions as an activator. Cells harvested after the late exponential phase seemed to contain blue protein.ein.
