Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...

Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation

Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation

Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme nitrate reductase...

Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle

Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is a complex biogeochemical process critical to maintaining the balance of nitrogenous compounds in ecosystems. This cycle involves multiple microbial-mediated transformations through which nitrogen changes oxidation states, supporting essential ecological functions and contributing to plant and microbial growth.Nitrogen Fixation and AmmonificationNitrogen fixation initiates the cycle by converting inert atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into bioavailable ammonia (NH₃), a process...

Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the atmosphere, the...

The Nitrogen Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

CNGCs in Marchantia paleacea uncouple arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and rhizoid development.

The New phytologist·2026

Same author

Autoactive CNGC15 enhances root endosymbiosis in legume and wheat.

Nature·2025

Same author

Evolution of endosymbiosis-mediated nuclear calcium signaling in land plants.

Current biology : CB·2024

Same author

A highly diversified NLR cluster in melon contains homologs that confer powdery mildew and aphid resistance.

Horticulture research·2024

Same author

One hundred important questions for plant science - reflecting on a decade of plant research.

The New phytologist·2023

Same author

A novel mutant allele of AtCNGC15 reveals a dual function of nuclear calcium release in the root meristem.

Journal of experimental botany·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Microplot Design and Plant and Soil Sample Preparation for 15Nitrogen Analysis

Microplot Design and Plant and Soil Sample Preparation for ¹⁵Nitrogen Analysis

Published on: May 10, 2020

How close are we to nitrogen-fixing cereals?

Myriam Charpentier¹, Giles Oldroyd

¹Department of Disease and Stress Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.

Current Opinion in Plant Biology

|September 7, 2010

Summary

Engineering cereals to fix nitrogen is key for future food security. This involves modifying cereals to develop nodules and host nitrogen-fixing bacteria, leveraging existing plant signaling pathways.

More Related Videos

An Array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization Platform for Efficient Detection of Copy Number Variations in Fast Neutron-induced Medicago truncatula Mutants

An Array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization Platform for Efficient Detection of Copy Number Variations in Fast Neutron-induced Medicago truncatula Mutants

Published on: November 8, 2017

Generation of Composite Plants in Medicago truncatula used for Nodulation Assays

Generation of Composite Plants in Medicago truncatula used for Nodulation Assays

Published on: March 27, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Microplot Design and Plant and Soil Sample Preparation for 15Nitrogen Analysis

Microplot Design and Plant and Soil Sample Preparation for ¹⁵Nitrogen Analysis

Published on: May 10, 2020

An Array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization Platform for Efficient Detection of Copy Number Variations in Fast Neutron-induced Medicago truncatula Mutants

An Array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization Platform for Efficient Detection of Copy Number Variations in Fast Neutron-induced Medicago truncatula Mutants

Published on: November 8, 2017

Generation of Composite Plants in Medicago truncatula used for Nodulation Assays

Generation of Composite Plants in Medicago truncatula used for Nodulation Assays

Published on: March 27, 2011

Area of Science:

Agricultural Science
Plant Biology
Biotechnology

Background:

Sustainable food production for a growing global population necessitates innovative agricultural solutions.
Nitrogen fixation in cereals could reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers, mitigating environmental impact.
Legume symbiosis provides a model for engineering nitrogen fixation in non-leguminous crops.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the feasibility of engineering cereals for nitrogen fixation.
To identify key genetic targets for establishing symbiosis in cereals.
To leverage known symbiosis signaling pathways for crop improvement.

Main Methods:

Analysis of the symbiosis signaling pathway in cereals.
Comparative genomics of legume and cereal symbiotic interactions.
Bioinformatic identification of potential genetic engineering targets.

Main Results:

The symbiosis signaling pathway, crucial for legume nodulation, is conserved in cereals.
This conserved pathway offers a potential route for engineering cereal recognition of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Additional genetic modifications will likely be necessary for full bacterial colonization and nodule organogenesis.

Conclusions:

Engineering cereals for nitrogen fixation is a plausible long-term goal.
The conserved symbiosis pathway is a critical starting point for this engineering effort.
Further research into genetic engineering for bacterial colonization and nodule development is required.