Effects of Co-existing Heterotrophs on Physiology of and Nitrogen Metabolism in Autotrophic Nitrite-oxidizing Candidatus Nitrotoga

Abstract

Interactions between autotrophic nitrifiers and heterotrophs have attracted considerable attention in microbial ecology. However, the mechanisms by which heterotrophs affect the physiological activity of and nitrogen metabolism in autotrophic nitrite oxidizers remain unclear. We herein focused on nitrite-oxidizing Candidatus Nitrotoga and compared an axenic culture including only Ca. Nitrotoga with a co-culture of both Ca. Nitrotoga and Acidovorax in physiological experiments and transcriptomics. In the co-culture with Acidovorax, nitrite consumption by Ca. Nitrotoga was promoted, and some genes relevant to nitrogen metabolism in Ca. Nitrotoga were highly expressed. These results provide insights into the mechanisms by which co-existing heterotrophs affect autotrophic nitrifiers.