Anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria are key players in wastewater treatment and environmental nitrogen cycling. These microbes have complex interactions with other groups of bacteria, which affect overall nitrogen metabolism, especially when nitrogen sources vary.

This study, led by graduate student Christian White, finds that bacteria performing anammox have a mutualistic relationship with bacteria performing dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). In a bioreactor, the synergy between these microbial groups sustained bioreactor performance over time, under varying inputs of ammonium and nitrite. These results improve our understanding of community-level nitrogen cycling dynamics, and may inform more robust systems for nitrogen removal during water treatment.

Check out the study here.