Nitroplast

[1] It plays a crucial role in nitrogen fixation, a process previously thought to be exclusive to bacteria and archaea.

[3] At the same time, Kyoko Hagino, a paleontologist at Kochi University, was working to culture the host organism, B.

Initially, it was hypothesized that UCYN-A facilitated nitrogen fixation, providing compounds like ammonia to the algae.

[1] The discovery of nitroplasts challenges previous notions about the exclusivity of nitrogen fixation to prokaryotic organisms.

[1] By incorporating genes responsible for nitroplast function, researchers aim to develop crops capable of fixing their own nitrogen, potentially reducing the need for nitrogen-based fertilizers and mitigating environmental damage.