An investigation into the microbial metabolism of polyphosphate and phosphite

Consequently, microorganisms have evolved to acquire phosphorus from alternative compounds such as phosphite and polyphosphate. Despite their ecological importance, the microbial cycling of these compounds remain poorly characterised, particularly in the Archaea.

Therefore, this thesis set out to further expand the metabolic and taxonomic diversity of these pathways. The first instances of 2-AEP and polyphosphate consumption in the Archaea were revealed, along with a novel mechanism catalyzing polyphosphate degradation. Additionally, the diversity of dissimilatory and assimilatory phosphite oxidising microorganisms was greatly expanded through targeted enrichments and bioinformatics-based approaches.