The Most Underrated Chemical Process on Earth｜Nitrogen Fixing

Why aren't more people talking about how cool Nitrogen is? Almost every single compound that makes you requires Nitrogen. And without organisms that take in nitrogen from our atmosphere and make it useful--all the complexity of life on earth wouldn't be possible. Let's take a look at the nitrogenase enzyme and discover how it blows up Nitrogen.

[razorcl]

Love this video! First time I'm watching your channel but my undergraduate thesis was on nitrogenase so I know a thing or two about i!

One interesting point you didn't mention is that nitrogenases are very sensitive to oxygen. Kinda raises an interesting evolutionary question of the exact timing of water splitting and nitrogen fixing evolving, as well as the apparent paradox of some cyanobacteria being able to do both!

Also lots of different ways to protect nitrogenase from oxygen, thick cell walls, fast respiration keep the cell anoxic, groovy terminal oxidases that use up any oxygen left around, and some cool proteins called FeSIIs that bind nitrogenase and protect it!

[kevinbyrne]

You'll have to produce another video about "nitroplasts" -- newly discovered organelles that fix nitrogen.

[lewisgandro]

I sat here for 8 minutes listening about nitrogen. Incredible.

[bora]

Such quality content for only 1.2k subscribers?? I was shocked when I realized that it wasn't 1.2 million. This channel will age like fine wine. Keep up the good work :))

[jacobwolfe]

Hi, I'm a PhD student in structural biology. I want to say that these videos are phenomenal.

They're an excellent balance between effective communicarion and complexity of these topics, with amazing visuals.

I would love to collaborate on amino acids and homochirality!

[rrepgtp]

Here from Vlogbrothers. Your channel's bout to blow up, like it rightfully should.

[Chris-opyt]

turns out that before life came about, volcanoes spewing massive amounts of ash into air, causes thousands of lightning strikes, that fixes a good amount of nitrogen into surrounding soil

[bjarnes.]

John Green sent me, I study Biotechnology in Germany and already love your content!

[StephenGillie]

One of the reasons Earth is so weird is because of all the dinitrogen and dioxygen in the atmosphere. The air reeks of cyanobacteria farts.

[ChemTalk]

Great video, we need more people to understand biochemistry is really interesting. Looking forward to the next video.

[louderthangod]

I want to thank John Greene for recommending this page. I look forward to seeing new videos get added...I think they really add something that is helpful to understanding the physical nature of the bio-chemical world of our cells.

[ckimsey]

I love these videos, no one makes higher level content like this that gets past the basics. As a chem. engr. who minored in biochemistry and loves "life chemistry" these are absolutely great

[whatabouttheearth]

Somehow the music works perfectly, I would think the style, especially with words, would be distracting but the way its done, the levels and freq settings, actually stimulates things without being overbearing, its relaxing in a quasi active way.

[dcbaars]

Dude I immediately subscribed to your channel after your ATP video. I like the molecular science of biochemistry. I just love every science that explains how things work.

[qwerty]

Too bad you haven't put any videos out in a while. I just found your videos and I really enjoy them

[Unraveled]

Can't believe I waited this long to watch this video. It's awesome, man!

[RoshenCarman]

I didn’t know i liked biochemistry. Thanks!

[leon]

Its my first time watching your channel, like a doctoral student, your video give precise information about nitrogenasa activity, and will help me to understand better the new topic of my research, thank you for made this content...

[cherylsneeringer]

Excellent! I'm so happy I heard about your channel from vlogbrothers.

[CarlinTran]

Awwww yeahhhh, science for breakfast.