Methylobacterium Extorquens

''Methylorubrum extorquens'' is a Gram-negative bacterium. '' Methylorubrum'' species often appear pink, and are classified as pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs, or PPFMs. The wild type has been known to use both methane and multiple carbon compounds as energy sources. Specifically, ''M. extorquens'' has been observed to use primarily methanol an
C₁ compounds
as substrates in their energy cycles. It has been also observed that use lanthanides as a cofactor to increase its methanol dehydrogenase activity

Genetic structure

After isolation from soil, ''M. extorquens'' was found to have a single chromosome measuring 5.71- Mb. The bacterium itself contains 70 genes over eight regions of the chromosome that are used for its metabolism of methanol. Within a section of the chromosome, of ''M. extorquens'' AM1 are tw
xoxF
genes that enable it to grow in methanol.

''M. extorquens'' AM1 genome encodes a 47.5 kb gene of unknown function. This gene encodes an over 15,000 residue-long polypeptide along with three unique compounds that are not expressed. The microbe uses the ''mxa'' gene as a way to dehydrogenate methanol and use it as an energy source.

Chemical use

''Methylorubrum extorquens'' uses primarily C₁ and C₂ compounds to grow. Utilizing compounds with few carbon-carbon bonds allows the bacterium to successfully grow in environments with methanol, such as on the surface of leaves whose stomata emit methanol. The ability to use methanol as both a carbon and energy source was show to be advantageous when colonizing '' Medicago truncatula''.

H₄MPT-dependent formaldehyde oxidation was first isolated in ''M. extroquens'' AM1 and has been used to define if an organism is utilizing methylotrophic metabolism.

Relationships with other organisms

Many bacteria within the family ''Methylobacteriaceae'' live in differen
biotic
environments such as soils, dust, and plant leaves. Some of these bacteria have been found in symbiotic relationships with the plants they inhabit in which they provide fixed nitrogen or produce vitamin B₁₂. ''M. extorquens'' also produce
PhyR
which plants use to regulate stress response, allowing the plant to survive in different conditions. In addition to PhyR, the bacterium can produce a hormone related to overall plant and root growth.

''M. extorquens'' has been found to have a mutualistic relationship with strawberries. Ultimately, ''M. extorquens'' is used to oxidize 1,2-propanediol to lactaldehyde, which is later used in chemical reactions. If introduced to blooming plants, furaneol production increases, changing the way the strawberry tastes.

See also

* ''Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum''
* ''Methylobacterium radiotolerans''

References

External links

''Methylorubrum''
J.P. Euzéby: List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature
''Methylobacterium extorquens''
NCBI
Type strain of ''Methylobacterium extorquens'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6824039

Hyphomicrobiales
Bacteria described in 1985
Formatotrophs