ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN FIXATION BY METHANE-OXIDIZING BACTERIA

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Abstract
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 notrogen-fixing, methane-oxidizing bacteria isolated were gram-negative, non-sporeforming, 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.