Distinct gene set in two different lineages of ammonia-oxidizing archaea supports the phylum Thaumarchaeota

Archaea rather than bacteria control nitrification in two agricultural acidic soils

Nitrification is a central component of the global nitrogen cycle. Ammonia oxidation, the first step of nitrification, is performed in terrestrial ecosystems by both ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Published studies indicate that soil pH may be a critical factor controlling the relative abundances of AOA and AOB communities. In order to determine the relative contributions of AOA and AOB to ammonia oxidation in two agricultural acidic Scottish soils (pH 4.5 and 6), the influence of acetylene (a nitrification inhibitor) was investigated during incubation of soil microcosms at 20 °C for 1 month. High rates of nitrification were observed in both soils in the absence of acetylene. Quantification of respective amoA genes (a key functional gene for ammonia oxidizers) demonstrated significant growth of AOA, but not AOB. A significant positive relationship was found between nitrification rate and AOA, but not AOB growth. AOA growth was inhibited in the acetylene-containing microcosms. Moreover, AOA transcriptional activity decreased significantly in the acetylene-containing microcosms compared with the control, whereas no difference was observed for the AOB transcriptional activity. Consequently, growth and activity of only archaeal but not bacterial ammonia oxidizer communities strongly suggest that AOA, but not AOB, control nitrification in these two acidic soils.

In quest of the nitrogen oxidizing prokaryotes of the early Earth

The introduction of nitrite and nitrate to the relatively reduced environment of the early Earth provided impetus for a tremendous diversification of microbial pathways. However, little is known about the first organisms to produce these valuable resources. In this review, the latest microbial discoveries are integrated in the evolution of the nitrogen cycle according to the great 'NO-ON' time debate, as we call it. This debate hypothesizes the first oxidation of nitrogen as abiotic and anoxic ('NO') versus biological and aerobic ('ON'). Confronting ancient biogeochemical niches with extant prokaryotic phylogenetics, physiology and morphology, pointed out that the well-described ammonia and nitrite oxidizing Proteobacteria likely did not play a pioneering role in microbial nitrogen oxidation. Instead, we hypothesize ancestral and primordial roles of methanotrophic NC10 bacteria and ammonia oxidizing archaea, respectively, for early nitrite production, and of anammox performing Planctomycetes followed by Nitrospira for early nitrate production. Additional genomic and structural information on the prokaryotic protagonists but also on their phages, together with the continued search for novel key players and processes, should further elucidate nitrogen cycle evolution. Through the ramifications between the biogeochemical cycles, this will improve our understanding on the evolution of terrestrial and perhaps extraterrestrial life.

Thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidation in an acidic forest peat soil is not influenced by ammonium amendment

Both bacteria and thaumarchaea contribute to ammonia oxidation, the first step in nitrification. The abundance of putative ammonia oxidizers is estimated by quantification of the functional gene amoA, which encodes ammonia monooxygenase subunit A. In soil, thaumarchaeal amoA genes often outnumber the equivalent bacterial genes. Ecophysiological studies indicate that thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizers may have a selective advantage at low ammonia concentrations, with potential adaptation to soils in which mineralization is the major source of ammonia. To test this hypothesis, thaumarchaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidizers were investigated during nitrification in microcosms containing an organic, acidic forest peat soil (pH 4.1) with a low ammonium concentration but high potential for ammonia release during mineralization. Net nitrification rates were high but were not influenced by addition of ammonium. Bacterial amoA genes could not be detected, presumably because of low abundance of bacterial ammonia oxidizers. Phylogenetic analysis of thaumarchaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that dominant populations belonged to group 1.1c, 1.3, and "deep peat" lineages, while known amo-containing lineages (groups 1.1a and 1.1b) comprised only a small proportion of the total community. Growth of thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizers was indicated by increased abundance of amoA genes during nitrification but was unaffected by addition of ammonium. Similarly, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of amoA gene transcripts demonstrated small temporal changes in thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizer communities but no effect of ammonium amendment. Thaumarchaea therefore appeared to dominate ammonia oxidation in this soil and oxidized ammonia arising from mineralization of organic matter rather than added inorganic nitrogen.