Summary

Genomics projects include the study of many kinds of organisms that affect our daily lives - for example, bacteria. One of the major groups of bacteria is also one that few people know - microbes that form nodules on the roots of many plants. Inside these nodules, specialized bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into a chemically useful form, which is essential for plant growth and thus ultimately for life on Earth. One of the best-studied nitrogen-fixing bacteria is S. meliloti, which fixes nitrogen in the roots of alfalfa and other plants.