CHARACTERIZATION OF METHANOSARCINA-MAZEII TMA ISOLATED FROM A PADDY FIELD SOIL

We isolated a methanogenic strain, designated as strain TMA (=DSM 9195 ), from an enrichment culture inoculated with a Japanese paddy field s oil. Strain TMA was Gram positive and strictly anaerobic. Cell shape w as pseudosarcina-like, and cells were nonmotile. The strain was able t o use methylamines, methanol, H-2-CO2, and acetate as substrates for m ethanogenesis, but did not utilize formate. The optimum temperature an d optimum pH were 30-37 degrees C and 6.5-7.5 respectively. The G + C content of the DNA was 42.1 mol %. Strain TMA had DNA-DNA hybridizatio n values of more than 80% with Methanosarcina mazeii S-6(T) (T = type strain). On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, we identified strain TMA as M. mazeii. This is the first methylotrophic m ethanogen isolated from a paddy field soil and identified to the speci es level.