Unlocking nitrogen regulation: structural insights into the <scp>NifL</scp> ‐ <scp>NifA</scp> complex and prospects for engineered diazotrophs

The urgent need for sustainable agriculture places biological nitrogen fixation at the forefront of current biotechnological research. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria play crucial roles in agriculture by enhancing nutrient absorption, regulating hormonal balance, and providing reduced nitrogen to plants. Among these, diazotrophic bacteria, such as Azotobacter vinelandii, stand out for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and release it in bioavailable forms. In this issue of The FEBS Journal, scientists mapped the interaction between NifL and NifA proteins, which regulate nitrogen fixation in A. vinelandii and many other Proteobacteria. This understanding will allow for engineering bacteria to enhance nitrogen delivery to plants by improving nitrogen fixation.