title: Genome information of Methylobacterium oryzae, a plant-probiotic methylotroph in the phyllosphere.
abstract: Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs in the Rhizobiales are widespread in the environment, and many Methylobacterium species associated with plants produce plant growth-promoting substances. To gain insights into the life style at the phyllosphere and the genetic bases of plant growth promotion, we determined and analyzed the complete genome sequence of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20T, a strain isolated from rice stem. The genome consists of a 6.29-Mb chromosome and four plasmids, designated as pMOC1 to pMOC4. Among the 6,274 coding sequences in the chromosome, the bacterium has, besides most of the genes for the central metabolism, all of the essential genes for the assimilation and dissimilation of methanol that are either located in methylotrophy islands or dispersed. M. oryzae is equipped with several kinds of genes for adaptation to plant surfaces such as defense against UV radiation, oxidative stress, desiccation, or nutrient deficiency, as well as high proportion of genes related to motility and signaling. Moreover, it has an array of genes involved in metabolic pathways that may contribute to promotion of plant growth; they include auxin biosynthesis, cytokine biosynthesis, vitamin B12 biosynthesis, urea metabolism, biosorption of heavy metals or decrease of metal toxicity, pyrroloquinoline quinone biosynthesis, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deamination, phosphate solubilization, and thiosulfate oxidation. Through the genome analysis of M. oryzae, we provide information on the full gene complement of M. oryzae that resides in the aerial parts of plants and enhances plant growth. The plant-associated lifestyle of M. oryzae pertaining to methylotrophy and plant growth promotion, and its potential as a candidate for a bioinoculant targeted to the phyllosphere and focused on phytostimulation are illuminated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, and Division of Life Sciences, Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; Biosystems and Bioengineering Program, University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Haeyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Chungbuk National University, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Republic of Korea; Biomaterials and Biocatalysts Group, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Munusamy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madhaiyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Plant Science and Technology, Chungbuk National University, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Chungbuk National University, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tong-Min
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Sa
authors.affiliation: Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea; 21C Frontier Microbial Genomics and Applications Center, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Kwang
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Biology, and Division of Life Sciences, Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jihyun F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D020580:Methylobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010802:Phylogeny; D018547:Plant Stems; D019936:Probiotics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial