Page 60 - The Microworld Miracle

have been performing chemical reactions that may not mean very
much to those not closely involved with chemistry. The resolution
of the nitrogen fixing reaction summarized below in chemical terms
represented a major success for scientists:
N2 + 8H+ + 8e- + 16 ATP = 2NH3 + H2 + 16ADP + 16 Pi
But for this reaction to take place, there needs to be a second
support reaction like photosynthesis, respiration or fermentation.

These formulae, so baffling to most people, are ordinary everyday
work for bacteria. Of course they have undergone no specialized
chemical training in order to carry out these chemical processes.
Every new bacterium that enters the world is equipped with
knowledge and materials that could only belong to a specially
trained chemist. In addition, these processes are not limited to bac-
teria in plant roots. Despite being found in very different places and

having very different structures, nitrobacteria, beijerinckia, klebsi-
ella, cyanobacteria, clostridium, desulfovibrio, purple sulphur bac-
teria, non-purple sulphur bacteria, green sulphur bacteria, rhizobi-
um frankia, azospirillum and a great many more carry out the same
reaction, with the same data and programming, in a prefect man-
ner. Furthermore, with the different systems and reactions inside
them, these bacteria exhibit structures that are not simple at all.
For example, the nitrogenase enzyme complex that bacteria
THE MICROWORLD MIRACLE enter into reactions with iron compounds. This represents no prob-
use during this process is exceptionally sensitive to oxygen. When
deprived of oxygen, it stops its activity, for which reason proteins

lem for anaerobic bacteria, which are capable of living without ox-
ygen, but a major hurdle for bacteria such as cyanobacteria that
produce oxygen by photosynthesis. and azotobacter that live freely

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