News Oceans In the deep ocean, these bacteria play a key role in trapping carbon The organisms oxidize the nitrogen compound nitrite to “fix” inorganic carbon dioxide DEEP FIXERS Scientists collected ocean water at different depths using this rosette (center), revealing that an abundant group of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria called Nitrospinae dominate carbon “fixation” in the deep ocean. Mar Nieto-Cid Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPinterestPocketRedditPrint By Carolyn Gramling November 28, 2017 at 12:00 pm A mysterious group of microbes may be controlling the fate of carbon in the dark depths of the world’s oceans.