Nitroplast Discovery May Transform Global Agriculture

New Cell Structure Found to Fix Nitrogen Naturally in Algae

In a breakthrough for agricultural science, researchers supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) have discovered a nitrogen-fixing organelle—called the nitroplast—inside algae cells. This finding could transform how farmers grow crops in the future.

Nitrogen is essential for plant growth, but most crops depend on chemical fertilizers to access it. The nitroplast could allow plants to produce their own nitrogen by replicating this natural process—similar to how bacteria convert nitrogen gas into a usable form like ammonia.

The discovery stems from decades of research led by Jonathan Zehr, professor emeritus at UC Santa Cruz. In the 1990s, his team collected unexplained DNA fragments from ocean waters.

After years of genetic sequencing, they realized the DNA belonged to a lifeform that couldn't survive on its own—a key clue that pointed to a new organelle.

Eventually, the researchers confirmed it was part of an algae cell that had developed a symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing bacterium.

Over millions of years, this evolved into the nitroplast. The study team included Tyler Coale, Esther Mak, Kyoko Hagino, and Kendra Turk-Kubo.

“This journey of discovery spanning almost three decades is a clear example of the unique benefits that NSF's long-term investment in foundational research provides,” said Ricardo Letelier, NSF program officer.

The team’s work earned the 2025 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize, highlighting its potential impact. If applied to crops, nitroplast technology could drastically reduce farmers’ fertilizer costs and lessen environmental damage from runoff.

With this discovery, the path toward more sustainable farming and enhanced crop resilience looks more promising than ever.