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. 1964 Aug;88(2):468–472. doi: 10.1128/jb.88.2.468-472.1964

ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN FIXATION BY METHANE-OXIDIZING BACTERIA

J B Davis 1, V F Coty 1, J P Stanley 1
PMCID: PMC277323  PMID: 14203365

Abstract

Davis, J. B. (Socony Mobil Oil Co., Inc., Dallas, Tex.), V. F. Coty, and J. P. Stanley. Atmospheric nitrogen fixation by methane-oxidizing bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 88:468–472. 1964.—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 nitrogen-fixing, methane-oxidizing bacteria isolated were gram-negative, nonsporeforming, 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-β-hydroxybutyrate in the cellular lipid fraction.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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