64 Małgorzata Pawłowska
methanotrophs. Due to metabolism, type X (also known as Ib) was distinguished within this
type. The type X is represented by the genera Methylococcus and Methylocaldum (Bowman,
2006), which use ribulose monophosphate pathway to the assimilation of formaldehyde.
They have also enzymes that are characteristic for serine pathway, typical for the type II
methanotrophs (Chistoserdova et al. 2005; McDonald et al. 2008).
In recent years, a novel bacterial strains capable to oxidise methane, belonging to the
phylum Verrucomicrobia, has been discovered in the environments with extreme pH,
salinity and temperature. For instance, their occurrence has been found in Hell’s Gate
geothermal area in New Zealand—Methylacidiphilum inf ...