biostudies-literatureUnknown13Lee JAU.S. Department of EnergyNational Science FoundationPink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs have long been studied for their ability to grow on reduced single-carbon (C₁) compounds. The C₁ groups that support methylotrophic growth may come from a variety of sources. Here, we describe a group of <i>Methylobacterium</i> strains that can engage in methoxydotrophy: they can metabolize the methoxy groups from several aromatic compounds that are commonly the product of lignin depolymerization. Furthermore, these organisms can utilize the full aromatic ring as a growth substrate, a phenotype that has rarely been described in <i>Methylobacterium</i>. We demonstrated growth on <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzoate, protocatechuate, vanillate, and ferulate in laboratory culture conditions. We also used comparative genomics to explore the evFrontiers in microbiology849573https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8963497biostudies-literatureAerobic Methoxydotrophy: Growth on Methoxylated Aromatic Compounds by <i>Methylobacteriaceae</i>.PMC8963497Stolyar SLee JAMarx CJfalseAerobic Methoxydotrophy: Growth on Methoxylated Aromatic Compounds by <i>Methylobacteriaceae</i>.Pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs have long been studied for their ability to grow on reduced single-carbon (C₁) compounds. The C₁ groups that support methylotrophic growth may come from a variety of sources. Here, we describe a group of <i>Methylobacterium</i> strains that can engage in methoxydotrophy: they can metabolize the methoxy groups from several aromatic compounds that are commonly the product of lignin depolymerization. Furthermore, these organisms can utilize the full aromatic ring as a growth substrate, a phenotype that has rarely been described in <i>Methylobacterium</i>. We demonstrated growth on <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzoate, protocatechuate, vanillate, and ferulate in laboratory culture conditions. We also used comparative genomics to explore the ev2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222026-04-08T18:07:45.83Z2025-04-06T16:57:00.195ZS-EPMC89634973535973610.3389/fmicb.2022.849573