About this Research Topic
Research on the transformation of reactive Nitrogen in an environmental context has lagged behind related research in a biomedical context. However, several recent important breakthroughs have led to significant advances in our understanding of reactive N transformations in nature. New groups of organisms including the anerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria and the aerobic ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaea have been added to the growing list of microbes that convert reactive N either to sustain their metabolism or to defend themselves within consortia or in interactions with their hosts. This new understanding is largely due to new high-throughput nucleic acid sequencing and protein analysis technologies. The ever-increasing number of complete genome sequences lends itself to apply post-genomic tools for transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of pure isolates and metagenomics and metatranscriptomics tools are available to describe enriched or uncultured microbes. Likewise, advanced genome analyses have led to a vastly improved picture on the evolution of the inventory involved in reactive N transformations. For this Research Topic, we welcome manuscripts (original research, perspective, mini-reviews, methods, etc.) that address topics in nitrogen oxide transformations across all scales and disciplines. While genetic, physiological, ecological, methodological, theoretical, modeling, and cross-disciplinary studies are encouraged to contribute to a comprehensive picture, the work should utilize ~omics approaches and/ or be presented within an evolutionary perspective.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
