NC_009654:615504 Marinomonas sp. MWYL1, complete genome
Host Lineage: Marinomonas; Marinomonas; Oceanospirillaceae; Oceanospirillales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Marinomonas MWYL1 was isolated from the root surface of the salt marsh grass Spartina anglica, growing near the North Norfolk, England village of Stiffkey. The genus Marinomonas comprises a widespread group of g -proteobacteria that exist in coastal waters, and which had been earlier been included in the genus Alteromonas. The interest in Marinomonas MWYL 1 was that it could grow on the betaine molecule Dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) as sole carbon source and, when it did do, it released large amounts of the gas dimethyl sulphide. DMSP is a compatible solute that is used by many marine phytoplankton and seaweed macroalgae as an osmoticum and an anti-stress compound. In addition, a few known land angiosperms make DMSP and these include certain species of Spartina - hence the choice of these plants as a source for DMSP-degrading bacteria. Indeed, others had shown previously that the DMSP-catabolising bacteria isolated from Spartina root surfaces included Marinomonas strains.