Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Nitrogen Cycle01:49

The Nitrogen Cycle

58.4K
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...
58.4K
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism01:20

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

10.4K
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...
10.4K
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation01:22

Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation

268
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...
268
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

474
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation.
474
Carbon-dioxide Fixation01:28

Carbon-dioxide Fixation

297
Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...
297
The Sulfur Cycle01:22

The Sulfur Cycle

51.1K
Sulfur, an important element in the chemical makeup of proteins, is recycled through the atmosphere and aquatic and terrestrial environments. Found in the atmosphere as sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfur is released by decaying organisms, weathered rocks, geothermal vents, volcanos, and burning fossil fuels. It is deposited into the ecosystem, cycled through the biotic community, and either released back into the atmosphere as gas or deposited in marine sediment for long-term storage and eventual...
51.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The Role of Iron-Hyponitrite Intermediates in Biology and Insights From Synthetic Model Complexes.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Electrochemical characterization of photo-driven hole-scavenging by cadmium sulfide quantum dot-nitrogenase biohybrid complexes.

Bioelectrochemistry (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026
Same author

Heme-NO Dilates Arteries via Mobilization of NO Moieties From an Intracellular NO Store Within Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

N-N Coupling of Nitrosyl Ligands in a Dinitrosyl Iron Complex Mediated by Exogenous Acids.

Inorganic chemistry·2026
Same author

Sulfite Is Not Required for N<sub>2</sub> Reduction Catalyzed by Mo-Nitrogenase.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

High-Valent Late Transition Metal-Oxo Complexes: Breaking Boundaries at the Oxo Wall and Beyond.

Chemical reviews·2026
Same journal

Direct air capture technologies: innovations, integration, and pathways to scale.

Chemical Society reviews·2026
Same journal

Fluorescent merocyanines: from fundamental properties to applications as molecular probes, in bioimaging and as emissive dye aggregates.

Chemical Society reviews·2026
Same journal

Direct impure water electrolysis at industrial scale.

Chemical Society reviews·2026
Same journal

Catalytic valorization of polyolefins: from catalysts and processes to reactors.

Chemical Society reviews·2026
Same journal

Designing stable π-radicals.

Chemical Society reviews·2026
Same journal

Antibacterial drug discovery: challenges and preclinical promises from synthetic small molecules.

Chemical Society reviews·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 18, 2025

Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O
08:05

Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O

Published on: October 7, 2020

6.3K

Grand challenges in the nitrogen cycle.

Nicolai Lehnert1, Bradley W Musselman, Lance C Seefeldt

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Department of Biophysics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA. lehnertn@umich.edu.

Chemical Society Reviews
|February 8, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Understanding the complex chemistry of Nitrogen Cycle enzymes is crucial. This knowledge will help mitigate human impacts on the environment by addressing current knowledge gaps.

More Related Videos

Estimating Sediment Denitrification Rates Using Cores and N2O Microsensors
07:59

Estimating Sediment Denitrification Rates Using Cores and N2O Microsensors

Published on: December 6, 2018

8.5K
Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx
07:14

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx

Published on: December 20, 2016

11.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2025

Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O
08:05

Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O

Published on: October 7, 2020

6.3K
Estimating Sediment Denitrification Rates Using Cores and N2O Microsensors
07:59

Estimating Sediment Denitrification Rates Using Cores and N2O Microsensors

Published on: December 6, 2018

8.5K
Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx
07:14

Automated, High-resolution Mobile Collection System for the Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis of NOx

Published on: December 20, 2016

11.9K

Area of Science:

  • Biogeochemical cycles
  • Enzyme kinetics
  • Environmental chemistry

Background:

  • The Nitrogen Cycle is vital for life, involving numerous enzymes.
  • Current understanding of these enzymes' complex chemistry is limited.
  • Anthropogenic activities significantly impact the Nitrogen Cycle.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight limitations in the current understanding of Nitrogen Cycle enzyme chemistry.
  • To emphasize the importance of this understanding for environmental protection.

Main Methods:

  • This viewpoint discusses existing literature and theoretical considerations.
  • It identifies key areas where further research is needed.
  • No new experimental data were generated.

Main Results:

  • Several critical knowledge gaps in Nitrogen Cycle enzyme mechanisms were identified.
  • The complex chemical pathways remain incompletely elucidated.
  • The implications of these gaps for environmental management are significant.

Conclusions:

  • Further research into Nitrogen Cycle enzyme chemistry is essential.
  • A deeper chemical understanding is key to addressing environmental issues.
  • This knowledge will aid in developing strategies to limit anthropogenic effects.