title: ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN FIXATION BY METHANE-OXIDIZING BACTERIA.
abstract: Davis, J. B. (Socony Mobil Oil Co., Inc., Dallas, Tex.), V. F. Coty, and J. P. Stanley. Atmospheric nitrogen fixation by methane-oxidizing bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 88:468-472. 1964.-Methane-oxidizing bacteria capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen were isolated from garden soil, pond mud, oil field soil, and soil exposed to natural gas, indicating a rather wide prevalence in nature. This may explain the high concentration of organic nitrogen commonly found in soils exposed to gas leakage from pipelines or natural-gas seeps. Added molybdenum was a requirement for growth in a nitrogen-free mineral salts medium. All nitrogen-fixing, methane-oxidizing bacteria isolated were gram-negative, nonsporeforming, usually motile rods. Colonies were light yellow, yellow, or white. The most common isolate, which formed light-yellow colonies, is referred to as Pseudomonas methanitrificans sp. n., and is distinguished from Pseudomonas (Methanomonas) methanica by nitrogen-fixing ability and a preponderance of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate in the cellular lipid fraction.
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D008660:Metabolism; D008772:Methylococcaceae; D009584:Nitrogen; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation; D011091:Polyesters; D011549:Pseudomonas; D012106:Research; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D009584:Nitrogen; D011091:Polyesters; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
keywords: BACTERIA; EXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDY; METABOLISM; NITROGEN FIXATION; PSEUDOMONAS; SPECTROPHOTOMETRY