Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Vol.48, No.3, 385-388, 1997
Mixotrophic Growth of 2 Thermophilic Methanosarcina Strains, Methanosarcina-Thermophila TM-1 and Methanosarcina Sp. S0-2P, on Methanol and Hydrogen/Carbon Dioxide
Two thermophilic strains, Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1 and Methanosarcina sp. SO-2P, were capable of mixotrophic growth on methanol and H-2/CO2. Activated carbon was, however, found to be necessary to support good growth. Both strains used hydrogen and methanol simultaneously. When methanol was depleted, hydrogen utilization continued and methane was further produced with concurrent cell growth. UV epifluorescence microscopy revealed that aggregates of both strains exhibited a bright red fluorescence besides the usual blue-green fluorescence.