Methylotenera mobilis gen. nov., sp nov., an obligately methylamine-utilizing bacterium within the family Methylophilaceae

A novel obligate methylamine utilizer (strain JLW8(T)), isolated from Lake Washington sediment, was characterized taxonomically. The isolate was an aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium. Cells were rod-shaped and motile by means of a single flagellum. Reproduction was by binary fission and no resting bodies were formed. Growth was observed within a pH range of 5-8.5, with optimum growth at pH 7.5. It utilized methylamine as a single source of energy, carbon and nitrogen. Methylamine was oxidized via methylamine dehydrogenase and formaldehyde was assimilated via the ribulose monophosphate cycle. The cellular fatty acid profile was dominated by C-16:0 omega 7c and C-16:0 and the major phospholipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The DNA G + C content was 54 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the new isolate was closely related (97-98% similarity) to a broad group of sequences from uncultured or uncharacterized Betaproteobacteria, but only distantly related (93-96% similarity) to known methylotrophs of the family Methylophilaceae. Strain JLW8(T) (= ATCC BAA-1282(T) = DSM 17540(T)) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species in a new genus within the family Methylophilaceae, Methylotenera mobilis gen. nov., sp. nov.