Methylobacterium

Methylobacterium is a genus of bacteria, also designated as Pink-Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFMs). Methylobacterium is commonly found in soil, water, and particularly in association with the phyllosphere, the aerial part of plants. Methylobacterium is characterized by its ability to metabolize one-carbon compounds like methanol released by plant leaves. Methylobacterium plays key roles in nutrient cycling and plant-microbe interactions, often promoting plant growth and resilience through hormone production and stress mitigation. Methylobacterium is a model in biotechnology, already used commercially for protein production, bioremediation, and as a biostimulant in agriculture. A particular recent interest in the genus has been its role as the best-studied model system for understanding the acquisition, use, and bioaccumulation of lanthanides, also known as rare earth elements. Methylobacterium has also been identified as a contaminant of DNA extraction kit reagents, which may lead to its erroneous appearance in microbiota or metagenomic datasets. In March 2021, a new species, named Methylobacterium ajmalii, associated with three new strains, designated IF7SW-B2, IIF1SW-B5, and IIF4SW-B5, were reported to have been discovered, for the first time, on the International Space Station. In 2018, 11 Methylobacterium species, including Methylobacterium extorquens, were transferred to Methylorubrum. This emendation mostly relied on the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny.