Nitrosomonas europaea

Nitrosomonas europaea is a genus of bacteria that plays a crucial role in the nitrogen cycle. These bacteria are chemoautotrophs, meaning they obtain energy from inorganic compounds and use carbon dioxide as their carbon source. Specifically, Nitrosomonas europaea oxidizes ammonia to nitrite. This process is vital because plants cannot directly use ammonia, but they can utilize nitrates, which are formed from nitrites by other bacteria. This conversion of ammonia to nitrites by Nitrosomonas is the first step in nitrification, a process essential for making nitrogen available to plants in agriculture and natural ecosystems.123