Methanol oxidation and growth yields in methylotrophic bacteria: A review

In all bacteria growing on methane or methanol the methanol is oxidised by way of methanol dehydrogenase. This unusual quinoprotein interacts with the electron transport chain at the level of cytochrome c. All methylotrophs having methanol dehydrogenase contain 2 different types of soluble cytochrome c. One of these, but not the other, reacts with methanol dehydrogenase; no intermediate electron carrier is required for this reaction. The P/O ratio for methanol oxidation is 1 although the midpoint redox potential of the methanol/formaldehyde couple suggests that a higher ATP yield might be theoretically possible. Curves are presented that allow the prediction of cell yields, and the effects of altering the system for methanol oxidation, on these cell yields.