基于数据库分析不同类型生境中厌氧氨氧化细菌的多样性分布特征

【目的】厌氧氨氧化过程是一种能在厌氧条件下氧化NH4+同时还原NO2–或者NO3–生成N2的过程,是氮素循环过程的重要途径之一。厌氧氨氧化过程由厌氧氨氧化细菌催化完成,目前通过分子生物学的手段已证实了厌氧氨氧化细菌存在于多种类型的生境中,本文对厌氧氨氧化细菌在不同类型生境中的多样性分布规律进行了系统分析。【方法】基于NCBI数据库中厌氧氨氧化细菌的16SrRNA基因序列,利用Mothur分析平台系统分析了厌氧氨氧化细菌在不同生境中的多样性分布规律和特征。【结果】分析表明,海洋环境中Ca. Scalindua属的厌氧氨氧化细菌占绝对主导;淡水和农业土壤中Ca. Brocadia属的厌氧氨氧化细菌占优势;工程系统中普遍存在Ca. Brocadia和Ca. Kuenenia属的厌氧氨氧化细菌;而湿地和河口环境中厌氧氨氧化细菌多样性最高,Ca. Scalindua、Ca. Brocadia和Ca. Kuenenia属的厌氧氨氧化细菌均有较高的相对丰度,显示出了陆地与海洋交汇的显著特征。【结论】本研究系统展示了不同的生境中厌氧氨氧化细菌的多样性群落结构生境分布特征,表明环境特征差异直接影响了厌氧氨氧化细菌的种群分布和系统演化。     

艾比湖湿地氨氧化细菌数量空间分布及其与土壤环境相关性分析

【目的】对新疆艾比湖湿地不同植被类型(柽柳群落、盐节木群落、芦苇群落)和土壤深度(0-5 cm、5 cm-15 cm、15 cm-25 cm、25 cm-35 cm)中氨氧化细菌数量空间分布进行研究,并对其与土壤环境因子的相互关系进行分析。【方法】采用MPN-Griess和Pearson相关分析法。【结果】艾比湖湿地不同植被类型氨氧化细菌的数量存在明显的差异,分布趋势为柽柳群落最高,盐节木群落次之,芦苇群落最低;不同土层中氨氧化细菌的数量也存在明显的差异,分布趋势为15 cm-25 cm>0-5 cm>5 cm-15 cm>25 cm-35 cm;氨氧化细菌数量分布与土壤有机质含量呈显著相关,与土壤pH、含水量、盐度以及氨氮含量等因子之间均无相关性。【结论】艾比湖湿地不同植被类型和不同土层中氨氧化细菌数量的分布均存在显著差异;氨氧化细菌数量的空间分布除与土壤有机质含量呈显著相关外,与其他土壤环境因子均无相关性。     

基于PCR-DGGE技术的红树林区微生物群落结构

【目的】为了解红树林沉积物中细菌的群落结构特征。【方法】应用PCR-DGGE技术对福建浮宫红树林的16个采样站位样品细菌的群落结构进行了研究。根据DGGE指纹图谱,对它们的遗传多样性进行了分析。【结果】各站位样品细菌多样性指数(H)、丰度(S)和均匀度(EH)均有所不同,这些差异与它们所处站位的不同有关,红树林区细菌多样性高于非红树林区细菌多样性。对不同站位细菌群落相似性分析,它们的相似性系数也存在一定的规律,同一断面的细菌群落结构相近性较高。对DGGE的优势条带序列分析,同源性最高的微生物分别属于变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、酸菌门(Acidobacteria)和绿菌门(Chlorobi),它们均为未培养微生物,分别来自于河口海岸沉积物。【结论】应用PCR-DGGE技术更能客观地反映红树林沉积物中真实的细菌群落结构信息。另外,研究也表明红树林区微生物多样性丰富,在红树林区研究开发未知微生物资源具有巨大的潜力。     

水分驱动半干旱区河流沉积物/土壤厌氧绳菌群落的空间异质性

【背景】厌氧绳菌纲、目、科及属是海洋沉积物和湿地土壤中优势的微生物类群,但关于特定水分梯度下河流沉积物/土壤厌氧绳菌群落是否存在空间异质性及核心环境驱动力等问题尚不明晰。【目的】阐明蒙古高原半干旱区河流系统水生、湿生、旱生环境梯度下厌氧绳菌群落的空间异质性及环境驱动力,探明干旱胁迫下萎缩型河流湿地复湿过程中厌氧绳菌群落的指示作用。【方法】利用16S rRNA基因高通量测序及相关性和变异权重分析等方法研究河流系统水分梯度下沉积物/土壤厌氧绳菌群落不同种群的组成、丰度、分布及其环境驱动力。【结果】厌氧绳菌群落15个种群主要分布在水生及湿生环境,由水分、氨氮、砂粒及pH正向驱动,由盐度、全氮、全磷、粉粒和黏粒等负向驱动(Uncultured_us15由砂粒和氨氮负向驱动及粉粒和盐度正向驱动除外);9个和6个厌氧绳菌种群分别由总有机碳正向和负向驱动。变异权重分析表明水分、氨氮、盐度、有机碳、pH分别解释了厌氧绳菌群落空间变异的64.8%、8.9%、7.5%、2.2%、1.7%。【结论】蒙古高原半干旱区厌氧绳菌群落存在明显的空间异质性,偏好高水砂、高氨、高pH等水生和湿生环境,不耐受盐度和营养偏高的旱生环境,由水分核心驱动,可能为自养异养混合的游离型氨氧化细菌,是干旱胁迫下萎缩型河流湿地水分恢复过程的重要指示生物。     

茶园根际土壤细菌群落结构及多样性

【背景】茶园根际土壤的细菌群落结构与茶园生境土壤营养循环密切相关,其组成及多样性可以作为健康茶园的一个生物指标。【方法】采用PCR．变性梯度凝胶电泳（PCR—DGGE）分子指纹图谱技术,检测安溪铁观音种植区不同海拔茶园根际土壤样本的细菌群落结构,利用Shannon．Wiener多样性指数分析其多样性,采用非加权组平均法进行聚类分析得到其分布特征,利用蒙特卡罗检验和冗余分析分别揭示影响细菌群落分布的环境因子及细菌群落分布和环境变量之间的关系。【结果】茶园根际土壤细菌的DGGE结果显示,检测到的14种主要细菌中有11种细菌是不可培养的,3种细菌是可培养的,分别属于根瘤菌属、中华根瘤菌属和苍白杆菌属。聚类分析得到,同一海拔梯度茶园根际土壤细菌群落结构相似。Shan-non—Wiener多样性指数分析表明,400m海拔处茶园根际土壤细菌群落多样性最高。蒙特卡罗检验分析得到环境因子协同作用对茶园根际土壤细菌群落结构贡献率为59．6％。冗余分析显示,茶园根际土壤细菌群落结构与海拔密切相关。【结论与意义】茶园根际土壤细菌群落结构分布与海拔梯度密切相关,考虑不同海拔高度土壤细菌群落对茶园营养循环的影响,在铁观音的健康栽培和管理过程中具有重要意义。     

厌氧氨氧化菌脱氮机理及其在污水处理中的应用

厌氧氨氧化细菌(anammox)可以将亚硝酸盐和氨氮转化为氮气从而缩短氨氮转化的过程,它已经成为新型生物污水脱氮技术研究的热点之一。当前,有关厌氧氨氧化菌特有的生理结构特点、种群分类及其功能酶等方面的研究取得了一定突破,为实现其工业应用奠定了良好的理论基础;同时分子生物学技术在厌氧氨氧化细菌种群分布、群落多样性及其共生关系等方面的应用也大大促进了污水生物脱氮技术的革新和进步。总结了厌氧氨氧化菌主要的生理生化特点、细胞结构特点、脱氮机理、污水处理体系中的应用以及分子生物学方法对污水处理体系中厌氧氨氧化菌种群分析的研究现状,并指出未来anammox细菌在生物特性及在污水脱氮处理实际应用的研究中的热点问题。生物特性方面的主要研究热点有：（1）anammox细菌除厌氧氨氧化作用外,其它新陈代谢途径有待探索;（2）anammox细菌在不同环境中分布的倾向性问题;（3）新型anammox细菌的确定。污水处理的实际应用方面的主要研究热点有：（1）anammox污泥的快速高效富集问题;（2）设计高特异性引物;（3）anammox细菌和其他微生物的共生关系。     

转cry1 Ac/cpti基因水稻对土壤氨氧化细菌群落组成和丰度的影响

【背景】氨氧化细菌是驱动硝化作用的关键微生物,其群落多样性变化对土壤氮素转化具有重要意义。转基因作物可能通过根系分泌物和植株残体组成的改变对土壤微生物群落产生影响。【方法】本研究通过田间定位试验,利用特异引物进行PCR-DGGE（聚合酶链反应—变性梯度凝胶电泳）和荧光定量PCR,分析了种植转cry1 Ac/cpti双价抗虫基因水稻第3、4年土壤中氨氧化细菌群落组成和丰度的变化。【结果】水稻各生育期（分蘖期、齐穗期和成熟期）内,转cry1 Ac/cpti基因杂交稻Ⅱ优科丰8号（GM）的土壤氨氧化细菌16S rRNA基因群落组成、多样性指数与其对应的非转基因杂交稻Ⅱ优明恢86（CK）间均没有显著差异;以DGGE条带为基础的氨氧化细菌群落组成的冗余分析（RDA）显示,GM和CK的土壤氨氧化细菌群落组成只与水稻生育期存在显著相关性（P=0.002和0.018）;同时,水稻各生育期内土壤氨氧化细菌16S rRNA基因丰度在GM和CK间也没有显著差异,但均随水稻生长而变化且在齐穗期达到最高（P〈0.05）。【结论与意义】稻田土壤氨氧化细菌的群落组成与丰度在水稻不同生育期存在差异,但在转cry1 Ac/cpti基因水稻和非转基因水稻间没有显著差异,即一定时期内种植转cry1 Ac/cpti抗虫基因水稻不会影响土壤氨氧化细菌的群落组成和丰度。     

云南地区热泉中氨氧化菌丰度对环境条件的响应

【目的】研究热泉中的氨氧化菌对于理解全球氮循环作用至关重要,而人们对于热泉中环境条件对氨氧化菌丰度分布的影响还知之甚少。本研究旨在研究云南热泉中氨氧化菌的丰度以及热泉环境因子(例如:温度、氨浓度及pH等)对氨氧化菌丰度的影响。【方法】在所选取的热泉中,采集沉积物、菌席或泉华样品。使用RNA逆转录、定量聚合酶链式反应及荧光原位杂交等技术对样品中各微生物种群进行定量分析。【结果】所选取的热泉沉积物、菌席或泉华中微生物总量大约为108-109细胞/g。其中,氨氧化古菌(AOA)占样品中微生物总量的0.02-1.32%,而氨氧化细菌数量低于检测下限。地球化学参数和AOA相对丰度的相关性统计分析显示,氨氧化古菌相对丰度值与NH3、NO2-、NO3-浓度和温度等具有统计学意义上的相关性,而其与Fe2+和及盐度无统计学意义上的相关性。【结论】在所调查的热泉中,氨氧化微生物种群主要由AOA组成,AOA在热泉中的氨氧化生物地球化学过程中起着重要作用。热泉中多个环境因子一起控制着AOA丰度在不同热泉中的分布特征,而某些环境因子,如盐度-和Fe2+浓度,可能不是控制AOA分布特征的关键因素。     

海南东寨港红树林不同植被土壤微生物群落结构比较

【目的】比较不同植被下红树林土壤细菌和古菌的多样性及群落结构,认识红树林土壤微生物资源多样性。【方法】直接提取红树林土壤总DNA,采用细菌通用引物27F/1492R和古菌通用引物Arch21F/Arch958R进行PCR扩增,构建细菌和古菌16S rRNA基因文库,对海南东寨港自然保护区秋茄林、无瓣海桑林和无红树林裸滩土壤的细菌和古菌多样性和群落结构进行分析和比较。【结果】3种土壤样品的细菌类群包括变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)等16个类群,其中变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)与绿屈挠菌门(Chloroflexi)是优势类群;古菌包括6个嗜泉古菌界(Crenarchaeota)类群和7个广域古菌界(Euryarchaeota)类群,分别以Marine Benthic Group C、Marine Benthic Group D为优势类群。多样性指数(H’)和物种丰富度指数(Schao1)表明,本地种秋茄林下土壤细菌和古菌的多样性指数最高,外来种无瓣海桑显著低于秋茄林,甚至明显低于相邻无红树林裸滩沉积物;不同植被下土壤细菌和古菌群落结构存在显著差异,秋茄林土壤微生物群落结构和无红树林裸滩沉积物更相似。【结论】红树林土壤微生物类群丰富,不同植被下土壤细菌和古菌多样性和群落结构存在显著差异。     

长江三峡大坝两侧水体中氨氧化微生物种群结构分析

【目的】研究自然界中的氨氧化微生物对于理解全球氮元素循环至关重要,而人们对于人工坝体对氨氧化微生物种群生态的影响还知之甚少。本工作旨在分析三峡大坝两侧水体中浮游和附着在颗粒表面的氨氧化微生物种群构成的多样性,并试图分析其潜在的控制因素。【方法】在靠近三峡坝体的上游水体及下游水体中各选取1个取样点,在取样点现场测量水体理化参数并收集生物量,采用氨氧化功能基因的mRNA逆转录产物构建克隆文库等技术分析样品中氨氧化微生物种群的多样性。【结果】坝下水体中浊度、溶氧量和氧化还原电位略高于坝上水体。坝体两侧的氨氧化菌以氨氧化古菌(AOA)为主,没有检测到氨氧化细菌(AOB)。坝体两侧水体不同存在方式的AOA组群存在差异:坝上水体中附着在颗粒表面的AOA多样性较高,而坝下水体中浮游的AOA多样性更高;坝上水体中附着在颗粒表面与浮游的AOA种群间的差异明显大于坝下水体。【结论】三峡大坝对坝体两侧水体中AOA种群主体构成的影响不是很明显,但三峡大坝产生的水动力条件改变影响了坝体两侧水体中浮游和附着在颗粒表面的AOA组群分布。     

Biogeographical distribution of diverse anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria in Cape Fear River Estuary

Summary Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) specific PCR method was developed to examine diversity and distribution of anammox bacteria in sediments collected from three different sites at Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina, where environmental parameters vary greatly over the year. Abundance and activities of anammox bacteria in these sediments were measured using the quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) method and ¹⁵N isotope tracer incubations. Different anammox bacterial communities composed with Brocadia , Kuenenia , Jettenia or Scalindua were found among sites along the estuarine gradient. Seasonal variations of anammox community structures were observed along the estuary based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA genes. Correlation analysis suggested that salinity variation influenced the diversity and distribution of different anammox bacteria in the estuary. Q-PCR assays of anammox bacteria showed temporal and spatial variations of their abundances, which were highly correlated to salinity variation. ¹⁵N isotope tracer incubations measured different anammox rates and its per cent contribution to total N₂ production among sites. The highest anammox rate was found at the site where Scalindua organisms dominated with the highest anammox bacterial abundance. Thus, we demonstrated a biogeographical distribution of diverse anammox bacteria influenced by salinity, and provide evidence to link anammox abundance and activities in estuarine sediments.     

The influence of intense chemical pollution on the community composition, diversity and abundance of anammox bacteria in the Jiaojiang Estuary (China)

Continuous chemical pollution is one of the most serious environmental problems in the Jiaojiang Estuary of the East Sea (China). This chemical pollution has significantly changed the estuarine environmental conditions and may have profoundly influenced the distribution of anammox bacterial communities in this estuary. Here, we investigated the influence of chemical pollution on the community composition, diversity and abundance of anammox bacteria in Jiaojiang estuarine sediments. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed that the majority of anammox bacterial sequences retrieved from the estuarine intertidal sediments were associated with Kuenenia. In contrast, different anammox communities composed of Brocadia, Kuenenia, Scalindua and Jettenia were found in the estuarine subtidal sediments. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that the sediment nitrobenzene and organic content had significant impacts on the distribution of anammox communities in the intertidal sediments. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the diversity of anammox bacteria in the intertidal sediments was positively correlated with the organic content. In contrast, RDA results showed that the nitrobenzene content, NO(3)(-) concentration and salinity significantly influenced the distribution of anammox communities in the subtidal sediments. The diversity and relative abundance of anammox bacteria in the subtidal sediments were positively correlated with NO(3)(-) concentration.     

More refined diversity of anammox bacteria recovered and distribution in different ecosystems

A newly reported 16S rRNA gene-based PCR primer set was successfully applied to detect anammox bacteria from four ecosystem samples, including sediments from marine, reservoir, mangrove wetland, and wastewater treatment plant sludge. This primer set showed ability to amplify a much wider coverage of all reported anammox bacterial genera. Based on the phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene of anammox bacteria, two new clusters were obtained, one closely related to Candidatus Scalindua, and the other in a previously reported novel genus related to Candidatus Brocadia. In the Scalindua cluster, four new subclusters were also found in this study, mainly by sequences of the South China Sea sediments, presenting a higher diversity of Candidatus Scalindua in marine environment. Community structure analyses indicated that samples were grouped together based on ecosystems, showing a niche-specific distribution. Phylogenetic analyses of anammox bacteria in samples from the South China Sea also indicated distinguished community structure along the depth. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the amount of anammox bacteria in the detected samples was positively correlated with the nitrate concentration. According to Canonical Correspondence Analysis, pH, temperature, nitrite, and nitrate concentration strongly affected the diversity and distribution of anammox bacteria in South China Sea sediments. Results collectively indicated a promising application of this new primer set and higher anammox bacteria diversity in the marine environment.     

Enrichment and characterization of marine anammox bacteria associated with global nitrogen gas production

Microbiological investigation of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria has until now been restricted to wastewater species. The present study describes the enrichment and characterization of two marine Scalindua species, the anammox genus that dominates almost all natural habitats investigated so far. The species were enriched from a marine sediment in the Gullmar Fjord (Sweden) using a medium based on Red Sea salt. Anammox cells comprised about 90% of the enrichment culture after 10 months. The enriched Scalindua bacteria displayed all typical features known for anammox bacteria, including turnover of hydrazine, the presence of ladderane lipids, and a compartmentalized cellular ultrastructure. The Scalindua species also showed a nitrate-dependent use of formate, acetate and propionate, and performed a formate-dependent reduction of nitrate, Fe(III) and Mn(IV). This versatile metabolism may be the basis for the global distribution and substantial contribution of the marine Scalindua anammox bacteria to the nitrogen loss from oxygen-limited marine ecosystems.     

Molecular evidence for the broad distribution of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in freshwater and marine sediments

Previously available primer sets for detecting anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria are inefficient, resulting in a very limited database of such sequences, which limits knowledge of their ecology. To overcome this limitation, we designed a new primer set that was 100% specific in the recovery of approximately 700-bp 16S rRNA gene sequences with >96% homology to the "Candidatus Scalindua" group of anammox bacteria, and we detected this group at all sites studied, including a variety of freshwater and marine sediments and permafrost soil. A second primer set was designed that exhibited greater efficiency than previous primers in recovering full-length (1,380-bp) sequences related to "Ca. Scalindua," "Candidatus Brocadia," and "Candidatus Kuenenia." This study provides evidence for the widespread distribution of anammox bacteria in that it detected closely related anammox 16S rRNA gene sequences in 11 geographically and biogeochemically diverse freshwater and marine sediments.     

Anammox反应器启动前后微生物群落结构差异性

接种A^2/O回流污泥启动Anammox-UASB反应器,研究了上升流速对系统脱氮性能影响,利用高通量测序对反应器中微生物群落结构变化进行了研究。结果表明,历时35 d成功启动Anammox反应器。上升流速升高可以明显促进脱氮效果,在最佳上升流速为1.14 m/h时TN去除率达84.74%,去除速率高达0.766 gTN/(L·d)。高通量分析表明,Anammox污泥群落Alpha多样性较接种污泥明显减少,Anammox污泥中的Anammox菌主要为Candidatus Jettenia和Candidatus Brocadia两个属,同时检测到大量的其他脱氮微生物菌属,系统中这些脱氮微生物的大量增值使系统脱氮能力逐步提高。     

Biophysical properties of membrane lipids of anammox bacteria: II. Impact of temperature and bacteriohopanoids

Anammox bacteria possess unique membranes that are mainly comprised of phospholipids with extraordinary “ladderane” hydrocarbon chains containing 3 to 5 linearly concatenated cyclobutane moieties that have been postulated to form relatively impermeable membranes. In a previous study, we demonstrated that purified ladderane phospholipids form fluid-like mono- and bilayers that are tightly packed and relatively rigid. Here we studied the impact of temperature and the presence of bacteriohopanoids on the lipid density and acyl chain ordering in anammox membranes using Langmuir monolayer and fluorescence depolarization experiments on total lipid extracts. We showed that anammox membrane lipids of representatives of Candidatus “Kuenenia stuttgartiensis”, Candidatus “Brocadia fulgida” and Candidatus “Scalindua” were closely packed and formed membranes with a relatively high acyl chain ordering at the temperatures at which the cells were grown. Our findings suggest that bacteriohopanoids might play a role in maintaining the membrane fluidity in anammox cells.     

Classification of uncultivated anammox bacteria and Candidatus Uabimicrobium into new classes and provisional nomenclature as Candidatus Brocadiia classis nov. and Candidatus Uabimicrobiia classis nov. of the phylum Planctomycetes and novel family Candidatus Scalinduaceae fam. nov to accommodate the genus Candidatus Scalindua

The phylum Planctomycetes is metabolically unique group of bacteria divided in two classes Planctomycetia and Phycisphaerae. Anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria are the uncultured representatives of the phylum Planctomycetes. Anammox bacterial genera are placed in the family Candidatus (Ca.) Brocadiaceae of the order Ca. Brocadiales, assigned to the class Planctomycetia. Phylogenetic analysis, showed that the anammox bacteria and Ca. Uabimicrobium form a divergent clade from the rest of the cultured representatives of the phylum Planctomycetes. The phylogenetic study, pairwise distance and Average Amino acid Identity (AAI) showed that anammox bacteria don’t belong to the classes Planctomycetia and Phycisphaerae. Anammox bacteria and Ca. Uabimicrobium form a deep-branching third clade in the phylogenetic analysis indicating that it is the most ancient third class within the phylum Planctomycetes. Phenotypic characters also separate anammox bacteria from classes Planctomycetia and Phycisphaerae. Therefore, based on phenotypic, phylogenetic, pairwise distance, AAI and phylogenomic analysis we propose a novel class Ca. Brocadiia to accommodate the order Ca. Brocadiales of anammox bacteria except Ca. Anammoximicrobium. Genera Ca. Jettenia, Ca. Anammoxoglobus, Ca. Kuenenia and Ca. Brocadia show their phylogenetic affiliation to the family Ca. Brocadiaceae. However, Ca. Scalindua showed a distant relationship with the family Ca. Brocadiaceae. Therefore, we suggest the exclusion of the genus Ca. Scalindua from the family Ca. Brocadiaceae; and propose its inclusion under a novel family with a provisional name as Ca. Scalinduaceae fam. nov. Similarly, Ca. Uabimicrobium amporphum showed distinct phylogenetic affiliation, therefore we propose a novel class Ca. Uabimicrobiia classis nov. to accommodate the genus Ca. Uabimicrobium.     

Diversity,abundance, and distribution of NO‐forming nitrite reductase–encoding genes in deep‐sea subsurface sediments of the South China Sea

In marine ecosystems, both nitrite‐reducing bacteria and anaerobic ammonium‐oxidizing (anammox) bacteria, containing different types of NO‐forming nitrite reductase–encoding genes, contribute to the nitrogen cycle. The objectives of study were to reveal the diversity, abundance, and distribution of NO‐forming nitrite reductase–encoding genes in deep‐sea subsurface environments. Results showed that higher diversity and abundance of nirS gene than nirK and Scalindua‐nirS genes were evident in the sediments of the South China Sea (SCS), indicating bacteria containing nirS gene dominated the NO‐forming nitrite‐reducing microbial community in this ecosystem. Similar diversity and abundance distribution patterns of both nirS and Scalindua‐nirS genes were detected in this study sites, but different from nirK gene. Further statistical analyses also showed both nirS and Scalindua‐nirS genes respond similarly to environmental factors, but differed from nirK gene. These results suggest that bacteria containing nirS and Scalindua‐nirS genes share similar niche in deep‐sea subsurface sediments of the SCS, but differed from those containing nirK gene, indicating that community structures of nitrite‐reducing bacteria are segregated by the functional modules (NirS vs. NirK) rather than the competing processes (anammox vs. classical denitrification).