Marine microorganisms sustain the oceanic life support system and its underlying biogeochemical cycles. On the molecular level, microbes underpin these processes with the help of proteins, especially metal-containing enzymes: biochemical machines that help microbes acquire, trade, transform, and recycle essential nutrients. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of these microbial metalloenzymes is instrumental for predicting phytoplankton responses to changing environmental conditions.
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