We have a number of great papers published last year. Some of them  appeared in news (see below) last year.  Last year we learned that some methanotrophs are treasure-hunters seeking for rare earth metals [1,2],  and some of them use a very highly efficient biocatalysis [3]. The tiny methanomentalists did a great job in cleaning up after BP oil spill [4,5],  but they can not stop methane  emission from  shallow oceanic water  or thawing permafrost soils [6,7]. The methane level in atmosphere has been rising after a decade of little change [8].  Humans are trying to help  by creating new pathways for methane utilization [9,10,11].

I hope you enjoy the reading as much as I did. I look forward to your comments.

marina

1. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/surprising-metals-found-microbes

2. http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/09/volcanic-bacteria-need-lanthanides

3. http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/12/10/best-of-the-journals-highly-efficient-methane-biocatalysis-revealed-in-a-methanotrophic-bacterium/

4. http://www.fondoemprendedores.fundacionrepsol.com/en/up-to-date/news/micro-battalion-purifies-seas

5.http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112818967/bacteria-found-gulf-consumes-crude-oil-040913/

6. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/25/us-methane-emissions-study-epa/3699735/

7. http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/twice-as-much-methane-escaping-arctic-seafloor-131125.htm

8. http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/09/19/arpa-e-awards-34m-in-rd-for-advanced-liquid-fuels-from-methane/

9. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6171/621.short

10. http://ccemc.ca

Molecular Basis of Microbial One-Carbon Metabolism
Probing the Biology: Chemistry Interface from Molecules to Ecosystems
August 10-15 2014
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA

Gordon Research conference covering broad aspects of the microorganisms that utilized one-carbon compounds, including enzymology, metabolism, microbiology, microbial ecology, and biotechnology. Emphasis is on the molecular aspects of autotrophic microbes, methanogens, methylotrophs, methanotrophs, and acetogens.

Applications are now being accepted.

The Molecular Basis of Microbial One-Carbon Metabolism Gordon Research Conference will be held in conjunction with the Molecular Basis of Microbial One-Carbon Metabolism Gordon Research Seminar. Aug. 9-10 at Mount Holyoke College. Those interested in attending both meetings must submit an application for the GRS in addition to an application for the GRC.

Welcome to the Methanotroph Commons website!  This website was assembled by the volunteer efforts of a number of researchers from methanotrophy laboratories, including Alan DiSpirito, Iowa State University; Marina Kalyuzhnaya, University of Washington; Valentina Khmelenina, Russian Academy of Sciences (Pushchino); Mary Lidstrom, University of Washington; Colin Murrell, University of East Anglia Amy Rosenzweig, Northwestern University; Jeremy Semrau, University of Michigan; and Josh Silverman, Calysta Energy.

In addition, Drew Regitsky from Calysta provided excellent technical assistance and support to get the actual site up and running.  Many thanks to everyone who has helped with this effort!

The goals of this website are to disseminate expertise in methanotrophs in order to enable a resurgence in research on methanotrophs and to enable methanotroph commercialization, and to connect existing and new methanotroph laboratories in academics and in companies with each other for both information transfer and recruitment.  We have focused on methanotrophs that contain a methane monooxygenase, and therefore are dependent on O₂ to oxidize methane.

We envision this website as a living resource for the entire community of researchers working with methanotrophs.  Rapidly growing interest in this group of bacteria from academia, industry, and government has created a need to not only provide a convenient source of vetted information, but also to create a forum for questions, discussion, and posting of information.

In the interests of getting a core set of information up and available quickly, we have focused on physiology, genetics, and genomics of methanotrophy.  However, many other areas of methanotrophy are not yet represented, and we invite any and all persons to contribute.  We ask that all contributors request an account so we can manage the website more effectively (click on the Register tab at the top of the website).  Ways to contribute directly on the site include to post questions or comments, contribute to a discussion forum, post an announcement of a position available or of an upcoming event (such as a symposium or session in a meeting).  In addition, you can contact us about contributing a blog or section of content, or updating a section of the content (topicedits@methanotroph.org).

Our core principles are to make all information publicly available, to provide basic summaries that do not repeat information that is already in excellent reviews and manuscripts (but provide links to those key references), and to especially include key unpublished or obscure information, tips, and explanations.  In other words, the goal is to provide information that will enable all researchers to make progress in studying and utilizing methanotrophs.