Methylococcus

Genus Methylococcus

Warning: In the List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature, an arrow (→) only indicates the sequence of valid publication of names and does not mean that the last name in the sequence must be used (see: Introduction).

Number of species, including synonyms, cited in this file: 8
Number of subspecies, including synonyms, cited in this file: 0

Classification (Warning: see also the file "Classification of prokaryotes: Introduction").

For a detailed description of this taxon see Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria (BMSAB).

Methylococcus Foster and Davis 1966, genus. (Type genus of the order ¤ Methylococcales Bowman 2005; type genus of the family ¤ Methylococcaceae Whittenbury and Krieg 1984).
Type species: ¤ Methylococcus capsulatus Foster and Davis 1966 (Approved Lists 1980).
Etymology: N.L. n. methylum (from French méthyle, back-formation from French méthylène, coined from Gr. n. methu, wine and Gr. n. hulê, wood), the methyl group; N.L. pref. methylo-, pertaining to the methyl radical; N.L. masc. n. coccus (from Gr. masc. n. kokkos, grain, seed), coccus; N.L. masc. n. Methylococcus, methyl coccus.
Approved Lists reference: SKERMAN (V.B.D.), McGOWAN (V.) and SNEATH (P.H.A.) (editors): Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1980, 30, 225-420 (Approved Lists of Bacterial Names in IJSEM Online - Approved Lists of Bacterial Names Amended edition).
Original publication: FOSTER (J.W.) and DAVIS (R.H.): A methane-dependent coccus, with notes on classification and nomenclature of obligate, methane-utilizing bacteria. Journal of Bacteriology, 1966, 91, 1924-1931.

→ Methylococcus Foster and Davis 1966 emend. Bowman et al. 1993.
Reference: BOWMAN (J.P.), SLY (L.I.), NICHOLS (P.D.) and HAYWARD (A.C.): Revised taxonomy of the methanotrophs: description of Methylobacter gen. nov., emendation of Methylococcus, validation of Methylosinus and Methylocystis species, and a proposal that the family Methylococcaceae includes only the group I methanotrophs. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1993, 43, 735-753.
Original article in IJSEM Online

Methylococcus bovis Romanovskaya et al. 1981, sp. nov.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) CM of Whittenbury.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: not found.
Etymology: L. gen. n. bovis, of a cow.
Valid publication: Validation List no. 7. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1981, 31, 382-383.
Effective publication: ROMANOVSKAYA (V.A.), MALASHENKO (Y.R.) and BOGACHENKO (V.N.): Corrected diagnoses of genera and species of methane assimilating bacteria. Mikrobiologia, 1978, 47, 120-130. (In Russian.)
Validation List no. 7 in IJSEM Online

Note: According to Bowman et al. 1993, Methylococcus bovis Romanovskaya et al. 1981 and ¤ Methylococcus luteus Romanovskaya et al. 1981 are heterotypic synonyms. On the Validation List no. 7, the priority numbers (these reflect the dates of receipt of the validation request in the form that is accepted for publication) are not given. So, no priority can be established.
Reference: BOWMAN (J.P.), SLY (L.I.), NICHOLS (P.D.) and HAYWARD (A.C.): Revised taxonomy of the methanotrophs: description of Methylobacter gen. nov., emendation of Methylococcus, validation of Methylosinus and Methylocystis species, and a proposal that the family Methylococcaceae includes only the group I methanotrophs. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1993, 43, 735-753.
Original article in IJSEM Online

→ ¤ Methylobacter luteus (Romanovskaya et al. 1981) Bowman et al. 1993, comb. nov.

Methylococcus capsulatus Foster and Davis 1966, species. (Type species of the genus.)
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) ATCC 19069= UNIQEM 1.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: AJ563935.
Etymology: N.L. masc. adj. capsulatus, encapsulated.
Approved Lists reference: SKERMAN (V.B.D.), McGOWAN (V.) and SNEATH (P.H.A.) (editors): Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1980, 30, 225-420 (Approved Lists of Bacterial Names in IJSEM Online - Approved Lists of Bacterial Names Amended edition).
Original publication: FOSTER (J.W.) and DAVIS (R.H.): A methane-dependent coccus, with notes on classification and nomenclature of obligate, methane-utilizing bacteria. Journal of Bacteriology, 1966, 91, 1924-1931.

Methylococcus chroococcus Romanovskaya et al. 1981, sp. nov.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) 9 of Whittenbury.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: not found.
Etymology: Gr. n. chroa, color; N.L. masc. n. coccus (from Gr. masc. n. kokkos, grain, seed), coccus; N.L. masc. n. chroococcus, colored coccus.
Valid publication: Validation List no. 7. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1981, 31, 382-383.
Effective publication: ROMANOVSKAYA (V.A.), MALASHENKO (Y.R.) and BOGACHENKO (V.N.): Corrected diagnoses of genera and species of methane assimilating bacteria. Mikrobiologia, 1978, 47, 120-130. (In Russian.)
Validation List no. 7 in IJSEM Online

Note: The type strain is currently not available from a recognized culture collection.
Reference: YARZA (P.), SPRÖER (C.), SWIDERSKI (J.), MROTZEK (N.), SPRING (S.), TINDALL (B.J.), GRONOW (S.), PUKALL (R.), KLENK (H.P.), LANG (E.), VERBARG (S.), CROUCH (A.), LILBURN (T.), BECK (B.), UNOSSON (C.), CARDEW (S.), MOORE (E.R.B.), GOMILA (M.), NAKAGAWA (Y.), JANSSENS (D.), DE VOS (P.), PEIREN (J.), SUTTELS (T.), CLERMONT (D.), BIZET (C.), SAKAMOTO (M.), IIDA (T.), KUDO (T.), KOSAKO (Y.), OSHIDA (Y.), OHKUMA (M.), ARAHAL (D.R.), SPIECK (E.), POMMERENING ROESER (A.), FIGGE (M.), PARK (D.), BUCHANAN (P.), CIFUENTES (A.), MUNOZ (R.), EUZEBY (J.P.), SCHLEIFER (K.H.), LUDWIG (W.), AMANN (R.), GLÖCKNER (F.O.) and RÓSSELLO-MÓRA (R.): Sequencing orphan species initiative (SOS): Filling the gaps in the 16S rRNA gene sequence database for all species with validly published names. Syst. Appl. Microbiol., 2013, 36, 69-73.
Publication online

Methylococcus luteus Romanovskaya et al. 1981, sp. nov.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) ACM 3304 = ATCC 49878= NCIMB 11914 = UCM 53B = VKM-53B.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: AF304195.
Etymology: L. masc. adj. luteus, golden-yellow.
Valid publication: Validation List no. 7. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1981, 31, 382-383.
Effective publication: ROMANOVSKAYA (V.A.), MALASHENKO (Y.R.) and BOGACHENKO (V.N.): Corrected diagnoses of genera and species of methane assimilating bacteria. Mikrobiologia, 1978, 47, 120-130. (In Russian.)
Validation List no. 7 in IJSEM Online

Note: According to Bowman et al. 1993, Methylococcus luteus Romanovskaya et al. 1981 and ¤ Methylococcus bovis Romanovskaya et al. 1981 are heterotypic synonyms. On the Validation List no. 7, the priority numbers (these reflect the dates of receipt of the validation request in the form that is accepted for publication) are not given. So, no priority can be established.
Reference: BOWMAN (J.P.), SLY (L.I.), NICHOLS (P.D.) and HAYWARD (A.C.): Revised taxonomy of the methanotrophs: description of Methylobacter gen. nov., emendation of Methylococcus, validation of Methylosinus and Methylocystis species, and a proposal that the family Methylococcaceae includes only the group I methanotrophs. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1993, 43, 735-753.
Original article in IJSEM Online

→ ¤ Methylobacter luteus (Romanovskaya et al. 1981) Bowman et al. 1993, comb. nov.

Methylococcus mobilis Hazeu et al. 1980, sp. nov.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) LMD 77.28.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: not found.
Etymology: L. masc. adj. mobilis, movable, mobile.
Valid publication: Validation List no. 5. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1980, 30, 676-677.
Effective publication: HAZEU (W.), BATENBURG-VAN DER VEGTE (W.H.) and DE BRUYN (J.C.): Some characteristics of Methylococcus mobilis sp. nov. Arch. Mikrobiol., 1980, 124, 211-220.
Validation List no. 5 in IJSEM Online - Effective publication Online

Methylococcus thermophilus Malashenko et al. 1975, species.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) IMV-2Yu.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: not found.
Etymology: Gr. n. thermê, heat; N.L. masc. adj. philus (from Gr. masc. adj. philos), friend, loving; N.L. masc. adj. thermophilus, heat loving.
Approved Lists reference: SKERMAN (V.B.D.), McGOWAN (V.) and SNEATH (P.H.A.) (editors): Approved Lists of Bacterial Names. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1980, 30, 225-420 (Approved Lists of Bacterial Names in IJSEM Online - Approved Lists of Bacterial Names Amended edition).
Original publication: MALASHENKO (Y.R.), ROMANOVSKAYA (V.A.), BOGACHENKO (V.N.) and STVED (A.D.): Thermophilic and thermotolerant bacteria that assimilate methane. Mikrobiologiya, 1975, 44, 855-862. English translation 773-779.

Methylococcus vinelandii Romanovskaya et al. 1981, sp. nov.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) "Mexica" of Whittenbury.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: not found.
Etymology: N.L. masc. gen. n. vinelandii, of Vineland, named after Vineland, New Jersey, where the species was first isolated.
Valid publication: Validation List no. 7. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1981, 31, 382-383.
Effective publication: ROMANOVSKAYA (V.A.), MALASHENKO (Y.R.) and BOGACHENKO (V.N.): Corrected diagnoses of genera and species of methane assimilating bacteria. Mikrobiologia, 1978, 47, 120-130. (In Russian.)
Validation List no. 7 in IJSEM Online

Note: According to Bowman et al. 1993, Methylococcus vinelandii Romanovskaya et al. 1981 and ¤ Methylococcus whittenburyi Romanovskaya et al. 1981 are heterotypic synonyms. On the Validation List no. 7, the priority numbers (these reflect the dates of receipt of the validation request in the form that is accepted for publication) are not given. So, no priority can be established.
Reference: BOWMAN (J.P.), SLY (L.I.), NICHOLS (P.D.) and HAYWARD (A.C.): Revised taxonomy of the methanotrophs: description of Methylobacter gen. nov., emendation of Methylococcus, validation of Methylosinus and Methylocystis species, and a proposal that the family Methylococcaceae includes only the group I methanotrophs. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1993, 43, 735-753.
Original article in IJSEM Online

→ ¤ Methylobacter whittenburyi (Romanovskaya et al. 1981) Bowman et al. 1993, comb. nov.

Methylococcus whittenburyi Romanovskaya et al. 1981, sp. nov.
Type strain: (see also Global Catalogue of Microorganisms) Y = 1521 of Whittenbury = ACM 3310 = ATCC 51738= NCIMB 11128.
Sequence accession no. (16S rRNA gene) for the type strain: X72773.
Etymology: N.L. gen. masc. n. whittenburyi, of Whittenbury, named in honor of British microbiologist Roger Whittenbury for his seminal research on methanotrophic bacteria.
Valid publication: Validation List no. 7. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1981, 31, 382-383.
Effective publication: ROMANOVSKAYA (V.A.), MALASHENKO (Y.R.) and BOGACHENKO (V.N.): Corrected diagnoses of genera and species of methane assimilating bacteria. Mikrobiologia, 1978, 47, 120-130. (In Russian.)
Validation List no. 7 in IJSEM Online

Note: According to Bowman et al. 1993, Methylococcus whittenburyi Romanovskaya et al. 1981 and ¤ Methylococcus vinelandii Romanovskaya et al. 1981 are heterotypic synonyms. On the Validation List no. 7, the priority numbers (these reflect the dates of receipt of the validation request in the form that is accepted for publication) are not given. So, no priority can be established.
Reference: BOWMAN (J.P.), SLY (L.I.), NICHOLS (P.D.) and HAYWARD (A.C.): Revised taxonomy of the methanotrophs: description of Methylobacter gen. nov., emendation of Methylococcus, validation of Methylosinus and Methylocystis species, and a proposal that the family Methylococcaceae includes only the group I methanotrophs. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol., 1993, 43, 735-753.
Original article in IJSEM Online

→ ¤ Methylobacter whittenburyi (Romanovskaya et al. 1981) Bowman et al. 1993, comb. nov.

Title

Genus Methylococcus