Nitrososphaeria

Nitrososphaeria is a class of archaea that includes many ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in soils, waters, and sediments. Its members connect ammonia oxidation to microbial life across diverse environments.

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Ammonia oxidation: The conversion of ammonia to nitrite by microorganisms using ammonia as an energy source. Many Nitrososphaeria gain energy by oxidizing ammonia.
Archaea: One of the three domains of life, comprising prokaryotic organisms distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes. Nitrososphaeria belongs to this domain, not to Bacteria.
Soil nitrification: The microbial conversion of ammonium in soil toward nitrate through nitrite. Nitrososphaeria can drive this process and influence soil nitrogen availability.
Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria: Bacteria that obtain energy by oxidizing ammonia to nitrite. They perform the same first nitrification step using a distinct domain of life.
Nitrification: The microbial oxidation of ammonia to nitrate, usually through nitrite as an intermediate. Nitrososphaeria perform the first step in this two-stage process.
Thaumarchaeota: A major archaeal lineage that includes many ammonia-oxidizing archaea and is often classified within Nitrososphaeria. The class is associated with this lineage in common archaeal classifications.
Marine nitrification: The oxidation of ammonia to nitrate by microorganisms in ocean waters. Marine members contribute to nitrogen transformations throughout the water column.
Nitrosomonadaceae: A bacterial family containing several well-known ammonia-oxidizing genera. This bacterial group provides a close functional counterpart to Nitrososphaeria.
Ammonia monooxygenase: An enzyme that initiates ammonia oxidation by converting ammonia to hydroxylamine. This enzyme begins the energy-yielding pathway in ammonia-oxidizing members.
Prokaryote: An organism whose cell lacks a membrane-bound nucleus. Nitrososphaeria are prokaryotic cells despite belonging to Archaea.