JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, May 2003, 185: 2759 - 2773
Nitrosomonas europaea (ATCC 19718)
is a Gram-negative obligate chemolithoautotroph that can derive all its energy and reductant for growth from the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite. Nitrosomonas europaea participates in the biogeochemical N cycle in the process of nitrification. Its genome consists of a single circular chromosome of 2,812,094 bp . The GC skew analysis indicates that the genome is divided into two unequal replichores. Genes are distributed evenly around the genome, with ~47% transcribed from one strand and ~53% transcribed from the complementary strand. A total of 2,460 protein-encoding genes emerged from the modeling effort, averaging 1,011 bp in length, with intergenic regions averaging 117 bp. Genes necessary for the catabolism of ammonia, energy and reductant generation, biosynthesis, and CO2 and NH3 assimilation were identified. In contrast, genes for catabolism of organic compounds are limited. Genes encoding transporters for inorganic ions were plentiful, whereas genes encoding transporters for organic molecules were scant. Complex repetitive elements constitute ca. 5% of the genome. Among these are 85 predicted insertion sequence elements in eight different families. The strategy of N. europaea to accumulate Fe from the environment involves several classes of Fe receptors with more than 20 genes devoted to these receptors. However, genes for the synthesis of only one siderophore, citrate, were identified in the genome. This genome has provided new insights into the growth and metabolism of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.
Accomplished in collaboration by Patrick Chain, Jane Lamerdin, Frank Larimer, Warren Regala, Victoria Lao, Miriam Land, Loren Hauser, Alan Hooper, Martin Klotz, Jeanette Norton, Luis Sayavedra-Soto, Dave Arciero, Norman Hommes, Mark Whittaker, and Daniel Arp,
who are affiliated with the following institutions:
Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, California 945981; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 945502; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 3783; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455; University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40208; Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322; and Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331
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