NITROBACTERACEAE Meaning and
Definition
-
Nitrobacteraceae is a family of bacteria that belong to the class Betaproteobacteria. This family is composed of gram-negative, chemolithotrophic bacteria, meaning they obtain their energy by oxidizing inorganic compounds. They are commonly found in soil, freshwater environments, and wastewater treatment systems.
Members of the Nitrobacteraceae family are well-known for their ability to perform nitrification, which is the conversion of ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2-) and then to nitrate (NO3-). This conversion is an essential part of the nitrogen cycle, as it helps to balance nitrogen levels in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, making it available for plants and other organisms.
The key enzymatic reaction performed by Nitrobacteraceae is the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate, which is catalyzed by the enzyme nitrite oxidoreductase. This oxidation process provides energy for the bacteria's metabolic activities. Nitrobacteraceae are able to thrive in environments with low oxygen levels since they use the oxygen from nitrite as a terminal electron acceptor during respiration.
These bacteria play a crucial role in wastewater treatment systems, where they can remove nitrogen from the effluent by converting nitrite to nitrate. This process helps to prevent eutrophication in receiving water bodies, as excessive nitrogen can lead to harmful algal blooms and oxygen depletion.
Overall, Nitrobacteraceae are important microorganisms in biogeochemical nitrogen cycling, as they actively participate in the conversion of ammonia to nitrate, ensuring the availability of nitrogen for various biological processes.
Common Misspellings for NITROBACTERACEAE
- bitrobacteraceae
- mitrobacteraceae
- jitrobacteraceae
- hitrobacteraceae
- nutrobacteraceae
- njtrobacteraceae
- nktrobacteraceae
- notrobacteraceae
- n9trobacteraceae
- n8trobacteraceae
- nirrobacteraceae
- nifrobacteraceae
- nigrobacteraceae
- niyrobacteraceae
- ni6robacteraceae
- ni5robacteraceae
- niteobacteraceae
- nitdobacteraceae
- nitfobacteraceae
- nittobacteraceae
Etymology of NITROBACTERACEAE
The word "Nitrobacteraceae" is derived from Greek and Latin roots.
The prefix "Nitro-" comes from the Greek word "nitron", meaning "saltpetre" or "potassium nitrate", which refers to the presence of nitrogen in compounds.
The root "bacter" comes from the Greek word "bakterion", meaning "small staff" or "little rod", which refers to bacteria, a type of microorganism.
The suffix "-aceae" is derived from the Latin word "aceus", which means "belonging to" or "related to". In taxonomy, the suffix "-aceae" is used to denote a family in the classification of organisms.
Combining these roots and suffix, "Nitrobacteraceae" describes a family of bacteria that derive energy by oxidizing nitrite ions (NO2-) to nitrate ions (NO3-).
