Efficient methanol-degrading aerobic bacteria isolated from a wetland ecosystem

Methylotrophs present in the soil play an important role in the regulation of one carbon compounds in the environment, and thereby aid in mitigating global warming. The study envisages the isolation and characterization of methanol-degrading bacteria from Kuttanad wetland ecosystem, India. Three methylotrophs, viz. Achromobacter spanius KUT14, Acinetobacter sp. KUT26 and Methylobacterium radiotolerans KUT39 were isolated and their phylogenetic positions were determined by constructing a phylogenetic tree based on 16S rDNA sequences. In vitro activity of methanol dehydrogenase enzyme, responsible for methanol oxidation was evaluated and the genes involved in methanol metabolism, mxaF and xoxF were partially amplified and sequenced. The specific activity of methanol dehydrogenase (451.9 nmol min^-1 mg^-1) observed in KUT39 is the highest, reported ever to our knowledge from a soil bacterium. KUT14 recorded the least activity of 50.15 nmol min^-1 mg^-1 and is the first report on methylotrophy in A. spanius.