India Isolates its First Methane Oxidising Bacteria

Recently, researchers have isolated and described India’s first cultures of indigenous methanotrophs (Methane-utilizing) bacteria.

Researchers from the Maharashtra Association for the Cultivation of Science, (MACS) Agharkar Research Institute have made a significant breakthrough by isolating and describing India’s first indigenous methanotroph cultures from rice fields and wetlands in Western India.
Methanotrophs, or methane-oxidizing bacteria, consume methane to build biomass, using oxygen and releasing CO2 and H₂O.
Researchers have identified a new genus and species of methanotroph, Methylocumulus oryzae, notable for its cucumber-like shape and ability to oxidize methane
This methanotroph, dubbed ‘methane-eating cucumbers’, is phylogenetically unique and has not been reported or cultured elsewhere in the world.

It is primarily composed of natural gas, is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that is lighter than air.
Burns with a blue flame in complete combustion, yielding carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) in the presence of oxygen.
Methane is the second most abundant anthropogenic Greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2), accounting for about 16 percent of global emissions.
Methane is more than 26 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
The International Energy Agency’s Global Methane Tracker 2024 indicates that methane emissions from fuel totaled close to 120 million tonnes (MT).
The top three GHG emitters — China, the United States and India — contribute 42.6% total emissions, while the bottom 100 countries only account for only 2.9%.
The United States is the largest emitter of methane from oil and gas operations, closely followed by Russia. While China is the highest emitter of methane in the coal sector.
Norway and the Netherlands have the lowest emissions intensities.

Methylocucumis oryzae stands out due to its unusually large size (3-6 µm) compared to other bacteria and its strict mesophilic nature, thriving only up to 37ºC.
Notably, this methanotroph has shown potential in promoting rice plant growth, enhancing early flowering, and increasing grain yield.
Methylocucumis oryzae is abundant in natural environments such as wetlands and rice fields. Here, it plays a significant role in methane mitigation.

Despite its promising features, Methylocucumis oryzae faces challenges like slow growth, which hampers large-scale cultivation.
However, its abundance in natural habitats and its unique characteristics make it a valuable candidate for further research and applications in climate change mitigation and biotechnology.
Continued advancements in cultural conditions could unlock its full potential in combating greenhouse gases and supporting agricultural productivity.