Synergistic interaction between microbial nitrogen fixation and iron reduction in the environment.

ABSTRACT: Nitrogen and iron are essential yet often limiting nutrients in many ecosystems. Microbial nitrogen fixation by diazotrophs and dissimilatory ferric iron reduction are key processes that sustain nitrogen and iron availability. However, their interactions are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate a synergistic relationship between microbial nitrogen fixation and ferric iron reduction, observed in both laboratory cultures and environmental samples. In diazotrophic ferric iron-reducing bacteria, including Klebsiella grimontii N7 and Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA, nitrogen fixation enhanced heterotrophic ferric iron-reducing rates by 14.7- and 2.69-fold, respectively, and ferric iron reduction concurrently increased 15N2 fixation by up to 100%. A similar synergy was observed in an interspec

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12516963 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature