Methanol Improves Methane Uptake in Starved Methanotrophic Microorganisms

Methanotrophs in enrichment cultures grew and sustained atmospheric methane oxidation when supplied with methanol. If they were not supplied with methanol or formate, their atmospheric methane oxidation came to a halt, but it was restored within hours in response to methanol or formate. Indigenous forest soil methanotrophs were also dependent on a supply of methanol upon reduced methane access but only when exposed to a methane-free atmosphere. Their immediate response to each methanol addition, however, was to shut down the oxidation of atmospheric methane and to reactivate atmospheric methane oxidation as the methanol was depleted.