Adaptive traits of Nitrosocosmicus clade ammonia-oxidizing archaea

Nitrification is a core process in the global nitrogen (N) cycle mediated by ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms, including ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) as a key player. Although much is known about AOA abundance and diversity across environments, the genetic drivers of the ecophysiological adaptations of the AOA are often less clearly defined. This is especially true for AOA within the genus Nitrosocosmicus, which have several unique physiological traits (e.g., high substrate tolerance, low substrate affinity, and large cell size). To better understand what separates the physiology of Nitrosocosmicus AOA, we performed comparative genomics with genomes from 39 cultured AOA, including five Nitrosocosmicus AOA. The absence of a canonical high-affinity type ammonium transporter and typical S-layer structural genes was found to be conserved across all Nitrosocosmicus AOA. In agreement, cryo-electron tomography confirmed the absence of a visible outermost S-layer structure, which has been observed in other AOA. In contrast to other AOA, the cryo-electron tomography highlighted the possibility that Nitrosocosmicus AOA may possess a glycoprotein or glycolipid-based glycocalyx cell covering outer layer. Together, the genomic, physiological, and metabolic properties revealed in this study provide insight into niche adaptation mechanisms and the overall ecophysiology of members of the Nitrosocosmicus clade in various terrestrial ecosystems.

Nitrification is a vital process within the global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle but plays a significant role in the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and the production of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O) from industrial agriculture ecosystems. While various types of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms play a critical role in the N cycle, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) are often the most abundant nitrifiers in natural environments. Members of the genus Nitrosocosmicus are one of the prevalent AOA groups detected in undisturbed terrestrial ecosystems and have previously been reported to possess a range of physiological characteristics that set their physiology apart from other AOA species. This study provides significant progress in understanding these unique physiological traits and their genetic drivers. Our results highlight how physiological studies based on comparative genomics-driven hypotheses can contribute to understanding the unique niche of Nitrosocosmicus AOA.