Anammox Bacteria and their Unique Characteristics

Abstract

Although anammox bacteria were discovered more than twenty years ago, the interest of scientific teams is still growing. Recent evidence of the presence of peptidoglycan in their cell walls has included this group to gram-negative bacteria. These bacteria are unique because of their metabolism based on anaerobic ammonia oxidation. They have colonized Earth on a massive scale, making themselves probably the most important producers of nitrogen gas in natural ecosystems. Ladderane lipids, which are abundant in anammox bacteria cell membranes and specific to them, are also studied in detail. A huge potential lies in the possibility to integrate anammox bacteria into the wastewater treatment process, bringing thus many significant benefits.