The current study for the first time investigated the potential methane oxidation capacity of the surface layers of oil sands tailing ponds in Alberta, which are anthropogenic methane sources. This research by the aid of recently developed molecular analysis tools such as 16S rRNA gene pyrotag sequencing, Stable Isotope Probing, 16S rRNA and pmoA gene sequence analysis highlighted the presence of methanotrophic bacteria (mainly Gammaproteobacteria), in these tailings ponds, with potential methane oxidation activity ranging from 75.6 – 135.6 nmol CH4 ml-1 d-1. 16S rRNA pyrotag sequencing and construction of phylogenetic trees detected OTUs affiliated to the genus Methylocaldum present in all sampling sites and times (July/2011- December/2011).
Later investigations resulted in the isolation of a novel strain dubbed “Methylobacter oleiharenae”, which is able to thrive at optimum pH of 8 and contains 729 specific genes not detected in closely related reference methanotroph strains.