Four novel species of methylotrophs have been added to the National Collection of Industrial Food and Marine Bacteria.  They are NCIMB 15078 Methyloceanibacter methanicus;  NCIMB 15077 Methyloceanibacter stevinii; NCIMB 15076 Methyloceanibacter superfactus and NCIMB 15075 Methyloceanibacter marginalis.

The four type strains were deposited by Bran Vekeman from the Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Gent. They were isolated from North Sea sediment.

Marine methylotrophs play a key role in the carbon cycle by metabolizing reduced one-carbon compounds that are found in high concentrations in marine environments. More information about the new species can be found in the paper: Vekeman et al 2016, New Methyloceanibacter diversity from North Sea sediments includes methanotroph containing soley the soluble methane monoozygenase. Environ Microbiol. Doi: 10. 1111/1462-2920. 13485.

The authors state that despite their crucial role in marine carbon cycling, to date only a handful of marine methanol oxidizers and even fewer methane oxidizers, have been isolated and physiologically characterized.

NCIMB manages the UK’s National Collection of Industrial, Food and Marine Bacteria: the UK’s biggest repository for reference strains of environmental and industrially useful bacteria, plasmids and bacteriophages. The collection is continuously expanding as a result of new accessions from the international research community and includes many strains that have applications within the pharmaceutical and personal care sectors.

To purchase strains or for information on how to deposit strains with NCIMB contact culturecollection@ncimb.com or visit our culture collection pages www.ncimb.com