Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: Nature
Context: Scientists have discovered a new organelle, termed a nitroplast, within algae that can convert nitrogen gas into a form usable for cell growth.
- This ground-breaking finding challenges the conventional belief that only bacteria and archaea can perform nitrogen fixation.
- The nitroplast, found in the algae Braarudosphaera bigelowii, is considered the first nitrogen-fixing organelle in eukaryotes.
- It evolved from a symbiotic relationship between the algae and a bacterium called UCYN-A around 100 million years ago.
The study, published in Science, demonstrates that the nitroplast meets the criteria for an organelle, as it is inherited through generations and relies on host-provided proteins for its function.
