This Conference will address molecular mechanisms by which microorganisms metabolize and grow at the expense of one-carbon compounds. These organisms play important roles in the environment and they have increasingly been tapped for potential industrial applications. All of these organisms, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, catalyze novel reactions and their interesting physiology, genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology, along with novel molecular approaches to probe their ecological roles, has spawned the development of a wide-spread but closely interactive group of international scientists who meet on a regular basis. Investigators new to the field are particularly encouraged to attend this Conference. The Conference will stress molecular aspects of the unique metabolism exhibited by photoautotrophic and chemoautotrophic bacteria, methylotrophs, methanotrophs, methanogens, and acetogens. Applied and natural systems will also be considered. This Conference will thus bring together leading biochemists, microbiologists, molecular biologists, ecologists, and industrial scientists, all of whom share interests in different aspects of the issue.