Isolation and characterization of a facultative methanotroph degrading malodor-causing volatile sulfur compounds

► Sphingopyxis sp. MD2 was isolated from a microbial consortium degrading CH4 and DMS. ► MD2 is phylogenetically distinct from known methanotrophic genera. ► MD2 can maintain methanotrophic activity after facultative growth. ► MD2 possessed a particulate methane monooxygense system. ► MD2 exhibited the strong ability to degrade sulfur compounds such as H2S, methanethiol and DMS.