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.
The researchers said understanding the mechanism could contribute to more efficient ammonia production. Ammonia is widely used in fertilizer manufacturing, while conventional industrial production methods require high temperatures and pressures and rely heavily on fossil fuels.
They noted that fertilizer runoff into waterways can promote excessive algal growth and damage ecosystems, underscoring the importance of developing alternatives that reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers and limit their environmental impact.
The findings could deepen scientific understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing nitrogen fixation and provide insights for research into crops such as maize that could use atmospheric nitrogen and require less fertilizer.
However, these applications remain a subject of future research. Developing crops capable of fixing nitrogen independently will require further studies to determine how the mechanisms could be transferred to plants and made to function efficiently.
R.H/R.K