2.1.1.86	DELTAmtr	mutants lacking H4MPT:coenzyme M methyltransferase-encoding operon (DELTAmtr), the methylene-H4MPT reductase encoding gene (DELTAmer), the methylene-H4MPT dehydrogenase-encoding gene (DELTAmtd), and the formyl-methanofuran: H4MPT formyl-transferase-encoding gene (DELTAftr) fail to grow using either methanol or H2/CO2 as a growth substrate, indicating that there is an absolute requirement for the C1 oxidation/reduction pathway for hydrogenotrophic and methylotrophic methanogenesis. Mutants also fail to grow on acetate. DELTAmtr and DELTAmer mutants are capable of producing methane from methanol. Thus, there is an Mtr/Mer bypass pathway that allows oxidation of methanol to the level of methylene-H4MPT in Methanosarcina barkeri. Formaldehyde may be an intermediate in this bypass. DELTAmer and DELTAmtr mutants are able to grow on a combination of methanol plus acetate	687410