| Methanococcoides burtonii | |
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| Species: | M. burtonii
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| Methanococcoides burtonii Franzmann et al. 1993
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Methanococcoides burtonii is a methylotrophic methanogenic archaeon first isolated from Ace Lake, Antarctica.[1] Its type strain is DSM 6242.
M. burtonii is an extremophilic archeon of the family Methanosarcinaceae, a family of three genera of coccus-shaped cells.[2] Methanococcides burtonii has adapted to life in Antarctica where it resides in Ace Lake at temperatures that remain permanently 1-2 °C.[2] M. burtonii was first discovered by an Austrian limnologist named Harry Burton.[2] It was determined that the optimal temperature of growth was 23 °C.[2] M. burtonii is able to grow on methylated substrates and tolerates a broad range of growth temperatures (< 4° to 29 °C).[2] The cold adaptation in M. burtonii involves specific changes in membrane lipid unsaturation and flexible proteins. M. burtonii are irregular cocci, ranging 0. to 1.8 micrometers in diameter.[2] M. burtonii occur singly or in pairs.[2] During Gram staining, cells lysej; they also lyse in hypotonic solutions.[2] M. burtonii are motile with a single flagellum, and lack storage structures and internal membranes in the cytoplasm.[2] M. burtonii are colony-forming archaea, usually occurring in <1 millimeter colonies that are circular and convex.[2] Cells of M. burtonii fluoresce blue when exposed to UV illumination.[2] The optimal initial pH for growth is 7.7.[2] Two substances found to stimulate growth are yeast extract and trypticase soy agar.[2] M. burtonii cells were found to be resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, vancomycin and erythromycin.[2] Although it has evolved the ability to sustain itself in what are considered "extremophilic" environments for archaea (1-2 °C), M. burtonii optimally grows at 23 °C. M. burtonii is an obligately methylotrophic methanogen able to use methylamines and methanol, but not formate, H2CO2, or acetate for growth.[2] Methane is a greenhouse gas, and methanogens play a critical role in global warming and the global carbon cycle via the production of methane.