Isolation of a sulfate-reducing bacterium growing with methanol

Abstract

A sulfate-reducing bacterium capable of growth with methanol as sole source of energy was isolated from an anaerobic waste-water treatment plant via enrichment in an ethanol/sulfate medium. The cells were curved, Gram-negative, nonmotile rods. No spore formation was observed. Glycerol could be fermented to 1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropionate. In the presence of sulfate, glycerol was stoichiometrically converted to 3-hydroxypropionate. The cells contained stacked intracellular membranes during growth with ethanol or lactate but not with methanol. The doubling time during growth on methanol was approx. 75 h. Methanol was metabolized according to the following equation