石臼漾人工湿地冬夏季全程氨氧化微生物的分布、群落结构及其影响因素研究

湿地作为水体与陆地之间的过渡地带,具有独特的生态环境特性,是氮循环反应的关键区域.研究湿地生态系统中的全程氨氧化过程（complete ammonia oxidation,comammox）,解析该区域中comammox细菌的分布与群落结构特征,补充了此前该新型氨氧化微生物在湿地生态系统中分布特征的研究空白,对于完善comammox细菌在各种不同生态系统中分布情况的研究具有重要意义.本研究在石臼漾人工湿地中于冬夏两季分别采集了大沟中心、大沟边缘、小沟中心和小沟边缘的表层沉积物样品,利用PCR、荧光定量PCR和amoA功能基因高通量测序等方法,解析人工湿地中comammox细菌的时空分布与群落结构特征.主要研究结果如下：①所有样品中均检测到了comammox细菌,其丰度为1.77×10⁵~4.07×10⁷ copies·g^-1.冬季,comammox细菌丰度在大沟中高于氨氧化细菌（ammonia oxidizing bacteria,AOB）和氨氧化古菌（ammonia oxidizing archaea,AOA）,在小沟中高于AOB,但低于AOA;夏季,comammox细菌丰度在所有样点中均高于AOB和AOA.②冬夏两季样品中,comammox细菌丰度与底物NH₄⁺-N浓度均呈负相关关系,且夏季样品中呈显著性负相关.③主坐标分析（Principle Coordinate Analysis,PCoA）与多样性分析结果表明,comammox细菌群落结构具有空间异质性,且冬季物种多样性高于夏季.     

巢湖完全氨氧化细菌的丰度、群落结构及其影响因素研究

完全氨氧化过程（complete ammonia oxidation, comammox）的发现使研究者们对硝化作用和氮循环都有了新的认识.本研究选取巢湖冬夏季表层（0~10 cm）沉积物样品,运用高通量测序、实时定量PCR等分子生物学技术对comammox细菌的丰度和群落结构进行研究.结果表明：基于amoA基因的comammox细菌的丰度为（5.20±0.72）×10⁶~（4.06±1.23）×10⁷ copies·g^-1;氨氧化古菌的丰度为（5.39±1.01）×10⁵~（1.60±0.18）×10⁷ copies·g^-1;氨氧化细菌的丰度为（6.16±1.57）×10⁵~（4.30±0.19）×10⁶ copies·g^-1.comammox细菌的绝对丰度显著高于氨氧化古菌和氨氧化细菌.多样性分析表明冬季巢湖表层沉积物中的comammox细菌的物种多样性大于夏季.其中Candidatus Nitrospira nitrificans、Candidatus Nitrospira nitrosa和Candidatus Nitrospira inopinata的相对丰度最高占比分别为78.72%、49.80%和6.28%,且夏季样点中Candidatus Nitrospira inopinata的相对丰度显著高于冬季样点.主坐标分析（Principle Coordinate Analysis, PcoA）结果表明,comammox细菌的群落结构具有明显的时间异质性.理化因子中,NH₄⁺和NO₃^-与comammox细菌的丰度呈负相关关系.本研究在一定程度上揭示了comammox细菌的丰度、群落组成、多样性及其与理化因子的关系.     

Overlooked nitrogen-cycling microorganisms in biological wastewater treatment

• AOA and comammox bacteria can be more abundant and active than AOB/NOB at WWTPs. • Coupled DNRA/anammox and NO_x-DAMO/anammox/comammox processes are demonstrated. • Substrate level, SRT and stressors determine the niches of overlooked microbes. • Applications of overlooked microbes in enhancing nitrogen removal are promising. Nitrogen-cycling microorganisms play key roles at the intersection of microbiology and wastewater engineering. In addition to the well-studied ammonia oxidizing bacteria, nitrite oxidizing bacteria, heterotrophic denitrifiers, and anammox bacteria, there are some other N-cycling microorganisms that are less abundant but functionally important in wastewater nitrogen removal. These microbes include, but not limited to ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA), complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) bacteria, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA) bacteria, and nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing (NO_x-DAMO) microorganisms. In the past decade, the development of high-throughput molecular technologies has enabled the detection, quantification, and characterization of these minor populations. The aim of this review is therefore to synthesize the current knowledge on the distribution, ecological niche, and kinetic properties of these “overlooked” N-cycling microbes at wastewater treatment plants. Their potential applications in novel wastewater nitrogen removal processes are also discussed. A comprehensive understanding of these overlooked N-cycling microbes from microbiology, ecology, and engineering perspectives will facilitate the design and operation of more efficient and sustainable biological nitrogen removal processes.     

Research progress and prospects of complete ammonia oxidizing bacteria in wastewater treatment

• Comammox bacteria have unique physiological characteristics. • Comammox bacteria are widely distributed in natural and artificial systems. • Comammox bacteria have the potential to reduce N₂O emissions. • Coupling comammox bacteria with DEAMOX can be promoted in wastewater treatment. • Comammox bacteria have significant potential for enhancing total nitrogen removal. Complete ammonia oxidizing bacteria, or comammox bacteria (CAOB), can oxidize ammonium to nitrate on its own. Its discovery revolutionized our understanding of biological nitrification, and its distribution in both natural and artificial systems has enabled a reevaluation of the relative contribution of microorganisms to the nitrogen cycle. Its wide distribution, adaptation to oligotrophic medium, and diverse metabolic pathways, means extensive research on CAOB and its application in water treatment can be promoted. Furthermore, the energy-saving characteristics of high oxygen affinity and low sludge production may also become frontier directions for wastewater treatment. This paper provides an overview of the discovery and environmental distribution of CAOB, as well as the physiological characteristics of the microorganisms, such as nutrient medium, environmental factors, enzymes, and metabolism, focusing on future research and the application of CAOB in wastewater treatment. Further research should be carried out on the physiological characteristics of CAOB, to analyze its ecological niche and impact factors, and explore its application potential in wastewater treatment nitrogen cycle improvement.