Cells are Gram-negative short curved rods in microcolonies
with a diameter of 0.5 to 1.2 μm or long spiral-shaped rods with
one to four turns, 0.7 to 1.7 μm long, 0.2 to 0.4 μmwide. Aerobic
chemolithoautotrophic nitrite oxidizer that uses carbon dioxide
as sole carbon source. Optimum growth occurs at 28–32◦C
within a range between 10 and 34◦C. The substrate optimum is
1.5–3 mM nitrite. Growth was observed up to a concentration of
30 mM nitrite. Cell growth is characterized by dense formation
of microcolonies due to the strong production of EPS.
The G + C content of the DNA is 59.03 mol%. Nucleotide sequence
data are available in the GenBank database under the
accession number DQ059545.
The type strain A17 (LMG 27402 T, NCIMB 14950 T) was isolated
from activated sludge of the municipal wastewater treatment
plant in Köhlbrandhöft/Dradenau, Hamburg, Germany.