Heat-stable enzyme from deep-sea microbe turns nitrogen gas into ammonia
Scientists have discovered that a heat-stable enzyme from the deep-sea microbe Methanocaldococcus infernus can fix nitrogen at temperatures exceeding 90°C. This breakthrough provides insights into how biological nitrogen fixation can occur in extreme volcanic environments.
Why it matters
Understanding how enzymes function under extreme heat could lead to advancements in industrial biotechnology and sustainable agriculture.
by Fanni Aspetsberger, Max Planck Society
edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Illustration of the core of the heat-stable nitrogenase from a deep-sea microorganism, showing the metallocofactor which breaks nitrogen gas into ammonia. Credit: Benjamin Large, Sc·EYE·nce/Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology Microorganisms can do remarkable things—for example, nitrogen fixation, the conversion of nitrogen gas (N₂) into a form that organisms can use. Although nitrogen gas makes up around 78% of Earth's atmosphere, plants and animals cannot directly use it.
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