Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
Trends Microbiol. 2024 Jun;32(6):554-564. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.03.011. Epub 2023 Apr 13.
The evolution of nitrogen fixation undoubtedly altered nearly all corners of the biosphere, given the essential role of nitrogen in the synthesis of biomass. To date, there is no unified view on what planetary conditions gave rise to nitrogen fixation or how these conditions have sustained it evolutionarily. Intriguingly, the concentrations of metals that nitrogenases require to function have changed throughout Earth's history. In this review, we describe the interconnection of the metal and nitrogen cycles with nitrogenase evolution and the importance of ancient ecology in the formation of the modern nitrogen cycle. We argue that exploration of the nitrogen cycle's deep past will provide insights into humanity's immediate environmental challenges centered on nitrogen availability.
固氮作用的进化无疑改变了生物圈的几乎所有角落，因为氮在生物量的合成中起着至关重要的作用。迄今为止，人们对于是什么行星条件引发了固氮作用，以及这些条件是如何在进化上维持固氮作用的，还没有统一的认识。有趣的是，固氮酶发挥作用所需的金属浓度在地球历史的长河中发生了变化。在这篇综述中，我们描述了金属和氮循环与固氮酶进化的相互联系，以及古代生态学在形成现代氮循环中的重要性。我们认为，对氮循环远古历史的探索将为我们提供洞察，了解人类当前以氮可用性为中心的环境挑战。
