Acetobacter methanolicus sp. nov., an Acidophilic Facultatively Methylotrophic Bacterium

Abstract

A new species, Acetobacter methanolicus, is described. The strains investigated were isolated from sludge and from a yeast fermentation process in which methanol was the sole source of carbon and energy. A total of about 140 phenotypic features were tested. The strains proved to be acidophilic and facultatively methylotrophic, and they differed from other Acetobacter species by growing well on methanol, glucose, gluconate, 2,3-butanediol, and caproic acid as sole sources of carbon and energy. Ethanol was “overoxidized” only at initial concentrations of <0.5%. Lactate was oxidized very weakly, but it was not utilized as a sole carbon source for growth. Yeast extract or pantothenic acid was essential for growth. The specific epithet of the proposed new species refers to its isolation from media in which methanol was the sole source of carbon. The deoxyribonucleic acid base composition of type strain MB58 (= IMET 10945) is 62.3 mol% guanine plus cytosine.