Aromatic acid metabolism in <i>Methylobacterium extorquens</i> reveals interplay between methylotrophic and heterotrophic pathways.

ABSTRACT: Efforts towards microbial conversion of lignin to value-added products face many challenges because lignin's methoxylated aromatic monomers release toxic C₁ byproducts such as formaldehyde. The ability to grow on methoxylated aromatic acids (e.g., vanillic acid) has recently been identified in certain clades of methylotrophs, bacteria characterized by their unique ability to tolerate and metabolize high concentrations of formaldehyde. Here, we use a phyllosphere methylotroph isolate, Methylobacterium extorquens SLI 505, as a model to identify the fate of formaldehyde during methylotrophic growth on vanillic acids. M. extorquens SLI 505 displays concentration-dependent growth phenotypes on vanillic acid without concomitant formaldehyde accumulation. We conclude that

SUBMITTER: Govindaraju AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11957125 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature