Tim McAllister (Lethbridge Research Centre, Canada) has developed a new fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) assay for rumen methanogens, based on detection of a genome product under the microscope. If this works, it could be very useful as it promises to work for Methanomassiliicoccales as well (= RCC). It hasn’t been tested on these. I would like to send Tim fixed cells (i.e., not alive) of our RCC ISO4-H5 strain to test his new method on. AgResearch will gain potential co-authorship should this work out, and acknowledgement of PGgRc-NZAGRC.