Researchers have identified a group of bacteria from the genus Burkholderia that can be used to fertilize crops without harming humans. These beneficial strains fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which helps plants thrive. The discovery has significant implications for sustainable agriculture in less productive areas.
SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPLOS ONE·DateJan 8, 2014
Research shows that bacteria living in Gulf of Mexico beaches can thrive on a diet of oil by fixing nitrogen from the air, opening doors to more sophisticated cleanup techniques. However, some bacteria play an important role in the ecosystem experienced a sharp decline following the contamination.
A team of researchers led by Maren Friesen from Michigan State University is searching for a unique bacterium that can fix atmospheric nitrogen in the presence of oxygen. This bacterium has exceptional properties and could be the key to creating nitrogen-fixing plants, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
Three projects aim to revolutionise farming methods by enabling crops to fix their own nitrogen, reducing the need for artificial fertilisers. Researchers will search for a lost bacterium with special properties, create synthetic biological modules to produce fertiliser, and engineer beneficial relationships between plants and microbes.
SourceBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council·DateAug 21, 2013
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Legume plants allow nitrogen-fixing bacteria to breach their cell walls, enabling the bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form. The discovery sheds light on how plants promote nitrogen fixation, a crucial process for agriculture and food production.
SourceNorwich BioScience Institutes·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 19, 2011
University of New Hampshire researchers, led by Bradley Moore, found genetic structures in Frankia that resemble valuable natural product categories. The study reveals the potential for Frankia to produce antibiotics, herbicides, and other useful compounds, offering a new area of exploration for natural product drug discovery.
SourceUniversity of New Hampshire·JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology·DateAug 2, 2011
Marine biologists have identified a 500-million-year-old symbiotic relationship between catenulid flatworms, like Paracatenula, and Alpha-Proteobacteria. The unique Riegeria symbionts have been found to account for up to 50% of the worm's tissue and are believed to be responsible for its nutrition.
SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 27, 2011
Researchers are exploring the use of synthetic biology to enable corn plants to fix their own nitrogen, eliminating the need for fertilizers. This technology has the potential to increase crop yields while reducing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable agriculture.
SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·DateMar 4, 2010
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Leaf-cutter ants cultivate fungus for food and depend on nitrogen-fixing bacteria to make their gardens grow. The partnership between ant and microbe permits leaf-cutters to be amazingly successful.
SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalScience·DateNov 19, 2009
Researchers found that soybean plants colonized with naturally occurring rhizobia had lower aphid densities than those with commercial or artificially fertilized plants. The plants produced the same level of nitrogen regardless of the type of rhizobia used, suggesting a potential tool for protecting plants from insect herbivory.
A French team found that a common genetic element, SymRK, is essential for nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between plants and bacteria. The study used transgenic plants to demonstrate the crucial role of SymRK in establishing symbiotic relationships.
SourceInstitut de recherche pour le développement·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 10, 2008
A new study investigates the genetics behind the symbiotic relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and plants, finding evidence of specific genetic changes. The research suggests a common evolutionary origin of intracellular root symbioses with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in plants such as legumes and actinorhiza.
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Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding how legumes interact with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which could lead to the development of new crop plants that can fix nitrogen themselves. This discovery has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of intensive agriculture and lower energy consumption.
SourceBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council·JournalNature·DateJun 28, 2006
Researchers found that plants respond differently to bacteria that efficiently produce nitrogen, with root nodules growing bigger in response to good sharers. This complex relationship suggests that agricultural practices could disrupt these interactions and create plants with reduced ability to choose among root bacteria.
SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·DateDec 8, 2005
A new transcript-based cloning technique enables scientists to identify specific genes in a matter of months, reducing the process from years. The technique was used to isolate and identify a gene in Medicago truncatula that plays a crucial role in nitrogen fixation.
SourceStanford University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 30, 2004
The genome sequence of Rhodopseudomonas palustris reveals its metabolic versatility, including ability to produce hydrogen and degrade toxic compounds. The bacteria's unique genetic capabilities make it a promising candidate for biotechnology applications, such as biofuel production.
SourceUniversity of Iowa·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateDec 14, 2003
Researchers aim to understand the functions of Nostoc punctiforme's 7,000 genes and its potential to domesticate crop plants for nitrogen fixation. They plan to study gene expression and environmental responses to improve the process.
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Researchers have discovered that phytochromes regulate the synthesis of bacterial photosynthetic apparatus, essential for symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants. The discovery provides new insights into the operational mechanisms of light sensors in plants and has potential applications in molecular biology.
SourceInstitut de recherche pour le développement·JournalNature·DateMay 13, 2002
Researchers find nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in Pacific Ocean water samples near Hawaii, contributing significantly to ocean nitrogen fixation. The newly discovered bacteria are more abundant and active than previously thought, with potential implications for global warming.
SourceUniversity of California - Santa Cruz·JournalNature·DateAug 8, 2001
Scientists have found a new source of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, which could contribute significantly to ocean nitrogen fixation. The newly discovered bacteria are active at greater depths and longer time periods than known marine cyanobacteria, with potential implications for global warming.
SourceU.S. National Science Foundation·JournalNature·DateAug 8, 2001
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Researchers have decoded the genome of Sinorhizobium meliloti, a bacterium that fixes atmospheric nitrogen for plants. The complete genome map could improve crop yields while reducing fertilizer use, contributing to more sustainable agriculture.