Scientists isolate methane-eating wetland bacteria

In what marks the first time such extensive cultivation of Methanotrophs has been achieved in India’s tropical ecosystem, a team of scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute, comprising Kajal Pardhi, Rahul Bahulikar, and Monali Rahalkar, has successfully isolated and characterised a wide variety of methane-eating bacteria also known as Methanotrophs from the tropi‘al wetlands across western Maharashtra. These microorganisms serve as nature's methane scrubbers, consuming the potent greenhouse gas before it escapes into the atmosphere.

- Kimaya Boralkar

Samples were collected from various wetlands including freshwater ponds, lake sediments, stone quarries, and mangroves. Through an advanced serial dilution and long-term incubation technique, researchers managed to isolate 20 Methanotroph monocultures (90% purity), eight of which were fully purified to 100%. Using gene markers such as pmoA, a gene directly involved in methane oxidation, and 16S rRNA for further confirmation, the researchers identified seven different methanotroph genera: Methylomonas, Methylocystis, Methylosinus, Methylocaldum, Methylocucumis, Methylomagnum and Methylolobus.