Starvation Alters the Apparent Half-Saturation Constant for Methane in the Type II Methanotroph Methylocystis Strain LR1

Abstract

When cells of a type II methanotrophic bacterium ( Methylocystis strain LR1) were starved of methane, both the K _{m (app)} and the V _max(app) for methane decreased. The specific affinity ( a ^o _s ) remained nearly constant. Therefore, the decreased K _{m (app)} in starved cells was probably not an adjustment to better utilize low-methane concentrations.