The response of methane consumption by pure cultures of methanotrophic bacteria to oxygen

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Abstract
The rates of CH4 oxidation by strains of groups I and II methanotrophs in pure culture were studied at various O2 concentrations from 0 to 63 % v/v. In the presence of nonlimiting dissolved CH4 and inorganic nitrogen, O2 concentrations from 0.45 to 20% v/v supported maximum rates of CH4 oxidation. The critical dissolved O2 concentration under our conditions was about 5.7 μM, below which O2 was limiting for CH4 oxidation. Concentrations of O2 up to 63% v/v depressed the activity of CH4 oxidation by ≥ 23%. We conclude that methanotrophs are not microaerophilic under the conditions of our experiments and that they have a high affinity for O2.Key words: CH4 oxidation, O2 response, Methylosinus trichosporium, Methylobacter luteus.