Discovery could help develop crops that need less fertilizer
Researchers at the University of Arkansas have discovered a molecular mechanism that regulates nitrogen fixation in microorganisms. This finding could eventually lead to the development of crops that require significantly less chemical fertilizer.
Why it matters
Reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers could lower agricultural costs, decrease environmental runoff, and mitigate the carbon footprint associated with industrial fertilizer production.
Washington, Oct. 11 (SANA) Researchers at the University of Arkansas have identified a molecular mechanism that regulates nitrogen fixation in a methane-producing microorganism, a discovery that could eventually help develop crops capable of using atmospheric nitrogen and reducing their reliance on chemical fertilizers.
The scientific website Phys.org reported Saturday that researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to study nitrogenase, an enzyme that converts nitrogen gas into ammonia. They found that the enzyme binds to regulatory proteins to form a large, inactive protein complex that switches off nitrogen fixation when energy or nutrient levels inside the cell fall.
The findings, published in the journal Nature, showed that the complex breaks apart in response to signals indicating improved cellular conditions, allowing the enzyme to regain activity and resume nitrogen fixation.
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