Methyloversatilis universalis Fam500 Genome sequencing and assembly

This project is highly relevant to the DOE Missions of global carbon cycling and sequestration and biogeochemistry. C1 cycling by bacteria is important in the environment for a number of reasons. Many bacteria, called methylotrophs, utilize C1 compounds that are greenhouse gases, including methane, methylsulfonates and methylhalides. In addition, many methylotrophs are potential agents in bioremediation of such hazardous pollutants as halogenated methanes and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Finally, C1 cycling is an important component in both local and global carbon cycling, and as such represents one function in global carbon cycling that must be understood to accurately predict global changes in response to a variety of environmental perturbations. Methylotrophic bacteria are of interest to the following DOE-supported Biological and Environmental Research programs: the Climate Change Research Program, as key players in maintaining the levels of major green-house gases such as methane and CO2 in the atmosphere; the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program, as agents in bioremediation of such hazardous pollutants as trichloroethylene and other halogenated methanes; the Environmental Management Science Program, as major players in global cycling of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, the Ocean Science Program, as major players in methane consumption in oceans; and the Genomics: GTL Program as carriers of specific enzyme and regulatory systems allowing unique biochemical transformation capacities important to DOE missions, such as inexpensive and efficient environmental clean-up, biodegradable plastic production potential etc.