Microbial methanol formation: A major end product of pectin metabolism

Various pectinolytic strains ofClostridium, Erwinia, andPseudomonas species produced methanol as a major end product during growth on pectin but not on glucose or polygalacturonic acid. Pectin metabolism ofClostridium butyricum strain 4P1 correlated with a final product concentration of 16 mM at the end of growth, and a 1:1 stoichiometry for methanol production and percent initial substrate methoxylation. Growth on pectin was associated with high activity of pectin methylesterase and the absence of methanol consumption. The ecological significance of pectin metabolism and the establishment of microbial methylotrophic metabolism in nature is discussed.