Figure 2.

Positive relationships of methylotrophs. In the phyllosphere, C1 compounds generated by plants allow methanol-utilizing methylotrophs (e.g., Methylobacterium species) and methanotrophs to populate. In aquatic environments, methanotrophs belonging to γ- and α-Proteobacteria dominantly colonize on macrophytic algae and Sphagnum mosses, respectively, which supply O₂ for methane oxidation by the methanotrophs. In several environments including soils, growth of some γ-proteobacterial methanotrophs require cobalamin supplied from heterotrophic bacteria such as rhizobial species.