Biological Nitrogen Fixation
Biological Nitrogen Fixation
The two main steps of non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation are formation of ammonia and
nitrification. Ammonia is formed by reducing the atmospheric nitrogen.
NITROGEN CYCLE
1. NITROGEN FIXATION
- Conversion of atmospheric N2 to into ammonia for living organisms is known as
nitrogen fixation.
- This process is carried out by leguminous plants such as groundnut, even some
bacteria can fix atmospheric N2
- Ex:
2. NITROGEN ASSIMILATION
- The process of absorbing nitrates and ammonia into organic nitrogen is known as
nitrogen assimilation
- The organic nitrogen is transferred into animals’ body when plants are eaten by
animals
3. AMMONIFICATION
- The process of converting organic nitrogen into ammonia when animals die is
known as ammonification
- Its also known as mineralization
- This process was carried out by some saprophytes like fungi and bacteria
- Ammonia is also produced from excretory products of animals
4. NITRIFICATION
- The bacteria which is involved in nitrification is known as nitrifying bacteria.
- Ammonia is first converted to nitrites
- Ex: Nitrococcus, Nitrosomonas
5. DENITRIFICATION
- Nitrates are converted into molecular nitrogen through nitric oxide is known as
Denitrification
- In order to maintain the equilibrium of nitrogen in the atmosphere
- Bacteria involved in denitrification are called denitrifying bacteria
- Ex:
-
SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION
There are many different symbiotic associations between nitrogen fixing bacteria and plant
roots. The most significant one is :
- Rhizobium (symbiotic nitrogen fixing organism) – ROOT NODULE
SYMBIOSES
RECOGNITON OF THE
HOST
- Normally rhizobium are
free living organisms in the
soil.
- Certain root
exudates/chemical released
from the plant attract the
rhizobium towards the root
- Exudates comprises –
amino acids, Biotin,
Flavonoids, other vitamins
(Chemo attractants)
- Flavonoids also activate the
nod genes of particular
rhizobium species which
help in nodule formation
ATTACHMENT OF
BACTERIUM ROOT HAIR
- Lectins are secreted by all
species of legumes and
Tripholins (Polysaccharide)
- Lectins and Tripholins
(Surface receptors) mediate
the binding with rhizobium
to the root
- So once the binding is done the root hair starts curling in response to the nod
factors that r released by the rhizobium.
- When the nod factors are released it stimulates the plant to produce auxin and
cytokinins which causes elongation of the root hair
-
INVASION
- Once the root curls are
formed the organism starts
invading/enters the root
hair
- There is a hypha like/
filament like structure
formed called the infection
thread
- So the rhizobium forms the infection thread and enters the organism only through
the infection thread
- The infection thread is lined by cellulosic or hemi cellulosic substances of the
plant
- The bacteria through the infection thread moves towards the root cortex
NODULATION
- Once the organism reaches the root cortex that triggers hyperplasia (rapid cell
division)
- This happens coz the cortical cells are nearer to the vascular bundle which
provides bacteria optimum conditions for rapid cell division
- As the organism proliferates the cortical cells also divide rapidly and form nodules
(swollen bulbous enlarged structure)
- Inside the root nodule rhizobium will transform into a bacteroid structure ie.
inside the membrane there are 1/more rhizobium
- So the Bacteroides within the membrane inside the cells is called a symbiosome
- Only after the formation of symbiosome the N2 Fixation starts
When the plant dies these rhizobia will be released into the soil
In rhizobium host specificity is very important.