Updated project metadata. Methane oxidation by aerobic methanotrophs is well-known to be strongly regulated by the availability of copper, i.e., the “copper-switch”. That is, there are two forms of the methane monooxygenase: a cytoplasmic or soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) and a membrane-bound or particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO). sMMO is only expressed and active in the absence of copper, while pMMO requires copper. Previous work has also shown that one gene in the operon of the soluble methane monooxygenase – mmoD – also plays a critical role, but its function is still vague. Herein we show that MmoD is not needed for expression of genes in the sMMO gene cluster but is critical for formation of sMMO polypeptides and sMMO activity in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, indicating that MmoD plays a key post-transcriptional role in maturation of sMMO. Further, data also show that MmoD controls expression of methanobactin, a unique copper-binding compound used by some methanotrophs for copper collection. Collectively these results provide greater insights into the components of the “copper-switch” and thus provide new strategies to manipulate methanotrophic activity.