[Autotrophic methanol metabolism in Microcyclus aquaticus]

Metabolism of methanol was studied in Microcyclus aquaticus Z-238 in enzymological experiments. This facultative methylotroph was found to assimilate the carbon of methanol after oxidation to CO2 via the reductive pentose phosphate cycle. Dehydrogenases of methanol, formaldehyde and formate as well as ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase were induced during the methylotrophic growth of the bacterium. The serine pathway and the hexulose phosphate cycle were not involved in methanol metabolism owing to the absence of serine-glyoxylate aminotransferase and hexulose phosphate synthase, respectively.