Microbial nitrogen cycles: physiology, genomics and applications.

Genes and pathways involved in inorganic nitrogen cycles have been found in traditional as well as unusual microorganisms. These pathways or enzymes play a very important role in the adaptation or survival of these microorganisms under a variety of environmental conditions. Microbial nitrogen metabolism has industrial applications ranging from wastewater treatment to bioremediation and potential future use in biocatalysis for chemical production.