This article chronicles the groundbreaking work of Kyoko Hagino, a marine biologist at Kochi University, whose research on the microorganism Braarudosphaera bigelowii—nicknamed “Bigelowii”—has gained international recognition, culminating in its feature on the cover of Science magazine. Hagino’s discovery revealed that Bigelowii, previously thought to contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria, directly absorbs nitrogen—a trait rare in marine organisms and crucial to understanding marine nutrient cycles. Despite limited resources and conducting much of her research from a home laboratory, Hagino achieved a breakthrough in culturing Bigelowii by incorporating a local ingredient from Kochi, tokoroten, into her cultivation method, which significantly improved the organism's survival and growth.
The research has led to significant insights, including confirmation from a University of California research team that Bigelowii integrates nitrogen-fixing components into its cells similarly to how mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved in ancient organisms. This rare symbiosis sheds light on the evolution of complex life, demonstrating how cellular integration may have driven major evolutionary steps. Professor Emeritus Jonathan Zehr at UC Santa Cruz, part of the international research team, commended Hagino’s work, emphasizing that her contributions made this landmark discovery possible.
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