Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from methanol by a new methylotrophic bacterium Methylobacterium sp. GW2

A new bacterial strain, isolated from groundwater contaminated with explosives, was characterized as a pink-pigmented facultative methylotroph, affiliated to the genus Methylobacterium. The bacterial isolate designated as strain GW2 was found capable of producing the homopolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) from various carbon sources such as methanol, ethanol, and succinate. Methanol acted as the best substrate for the production of PHB reaching 40 % w/w dry biomass. PHB accumulation was observed to be a growth-associated process, so that there was no need for two-step fermentation. Optimal growth occurred at 0.5 % (v/v) methanol concentration, and growth was strongly inhibited at alpha concentration above 2 % (v/v). Methylobacterium sp. strain GW2 was also able to accumulate the copolyester poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-poly-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHB/HV) when valeric acid was supplied as an auxiliary carbon source to methanol. After 66 h, a copolymer content of 30 % (w/w) was achieved with a PHB to PHV ratio of 1:2. Biopolymers produced by strain GW2 had an average molecular weight ranging from 229,350 to 233,050 Da for homopolymer PHB and from 362,430 to 411,300 Da for the copolymer PHB/HV.