Aquatic copper-containing nitrite reductase gene (<i>nirK</i>) phylogeny and environmental distribution.

ABSTRACT: Nitrite reduction is an essential step in the oceanic Nitrogen cycle. Nitrite reductase genes, mainly nirS and nirK, are found in dozens of phyla, are often associated with denitrifiers, ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (AOB and NOB) as well as ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). nirK is found throughout the ocean, including in oxygenated surface water as well as in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). The diverse and complex evolutionary history of the nirK genes makes it challenging to study the population structure and distribution of nirK containing organisms in the environment. The organisms containing nirK play key roles in the global nitrogen cycle, including the loss of fixed N, and have the potential to influence nitrous oxide (N₂O)

SUBMITTER: Intrator N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12486414 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature