Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the β subgroup of the Proteobacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria belonging to the genus Nitrobacter are the principal autotrophic nitrifiers that have been found in soils (7, 36).

Are nitrifying bacteria autotrophic or heterotrophic?

FISH analysis showed that this autotrophic nitrifying biofilm was composed of 50% nitrifying bacteria (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria [AOB] and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria [NOB]) and 50% heterotrophic bacteria, and the distribution was as follows: members of the alpha subclass of the class Proteobacteria (alpha- ...

Are nitrifying bacteria Chemoautotrophs?

Nitrifying organisms are chemoautotrophs, and use carbon dioxide as their carbon source for growth. Some AOB possess the enzyme, urease, which catalyzes the conversion of the urea molecule to two ammonia molecules and one carbon dioxide molecule.