Open AccessAerobic and anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria – competitors or natural partners?
Author(s) -
Schmidt Ingo,
Sliekers Olav,
Schmid Markus,
Cirpus Irina,
Strous Marc,
Bock Eberhard,
Kuenen J.Gijs,
Jetten Mike S.M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2002.tb00920.x
Subject(s) - anammox , biology , anoxic waters , nitrosomonas , nitrogen cycle , anaerobic exercise , ammonia , microbial metabolism , nitrification , microorganism , environmental chemistry , bacteria , nitrosomonas europaea , nitrite , ecology , microbiology and biotechnology , nitrogen , biochemistry , denitrification , physiology , nitrate , chemistry , denitrifying bacteria , genetics , organic chemistry
The biological nitrogen cycle is a complex interplay between many microorganisms catalyzing different reactions. For a long time, ammonia and nitrite oxidation by chemolithoautotrophic nitrifiers were thought to be restricted to oxic environments and the metabolic flexibility of these organisms seemed to be limited. The discovery of a novel pathway for anaerobic ammonia oxidation by Planctomyces (anammox) and the finding of an anoxic metabolism by ‘classical’ Nitrosomonas ‐like organisms showed that this is no longer valid. The aim of this review is to summarize these novel findings in nitrogen conversion and to discuss the ecological importance of these processes.