The ammonia oxidizing archaea, or Thaumarchaeota, are among the most abundant marine microorganisms. Yet, scientists are still discovering which factors allow them to thrive in the ocean. A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen and the University of Vienna was now able to show that marine Thaumarchaeota have a broader metabolism than previously thought. The results are published in the journal Nature Microbiology.