Pathology
There is no known pathology caused by Nitrosococcus oceani or by related strains.
Application to biochemically
Not currently found to be useful for the development of biochemical technology.
Current Research
1.Klotz's laboratory at University of Louisville, which has recently completed sequencing the genome of Nitrosococcus oceani, now aims to study the metabolism pathway of ammonia catabolism and urea hydrolysis. Its project is to identify all the enzymes and conditions involving in the nitrification process.
2.Bess B. Ward's laboratory at Princeton University is doing a new protect on “Control of Denitrification in a Permanently Ice Covered antarctic Lak: Potential for Rgulation by Bioactive Metals”. The project main study site Taylor Valley of East Antarctica and Lake Bonney, where N. oceani were found. They traced metal distribution in the ecosystem which they think is related to the microbial activities. They focused on the impact of the availability of metal on microbial organisms.