Abstract:The discovery of heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying (HN-AD) bacteria updates the conventional theory of nitrifying. The HN-AD bacteria capable of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification under aerobic conditions have become a research hotspot in recent years. These bacteria play a key role in the marine nitrogen cycle. We introduced the diversity, nitrogen metabolic pathways, and related enzymes of marine HN-AD bacteria and analyzed the effects of environmental factors (salinity, C/N ratio, dissolved oxygen, pH, etc.) on the denitrifying performance of HN-AD bacteria. Furthermore, we summarized the functioning processes and applications of these bacteria and made an outlook on the development directions of this field.