"Discovery of Nitrogen-Fixing Organelles Suggests Evolution in Action"
Originally Published 1 year ago — by Phys.org
A new study published in the journal Cell suggests that nitrogen-fixing symbiotic organisms, specifically UCYN-A cyanobacteria, may be evolving organelle-like characteristics. These organisms live in a symbiotic relationship with marine algae and have lost the genes allowing regulation of nitrogen use, fixing nitrogen gas into ammonium even in nutrient-rich environments. Researchers found a size relationship between UCYN-A and their symbiotic partner cells, similar to the size relationships between other organelles and their hosts, indicating a potential evolutionary path toward developing into nitrogen-fixing organelles. Further study is needed to confirm this possibility.