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FeMoco (FeMo cofactor) is the primary cofactor of nitrogenase. Nitrogenase is the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen molecules N 2 into ammonia (NH 3) through the process known as nitrogen fixation. Because it contains iron and molybdenum, the cofactor is called FeMoco. Its stoichiometry is Fe 7 MoS 9 C.
Nitrogenase is an enzyme responsible for catalyzing nitrogen fixation, which is the reduction of nitrogen (N 2) to ammonia (NH 3) and a process vital to sustaining life on Earth. [9] There are three types of nitrogenase found in various nitrogen-fixing bacteria: molybdenum (Mo) nitrogenase, vanadium (V) nitrogenase, and iron-only (Fe ...
Molybdenum is an essential element in most organisms; a 2008 research paper speculated that a scarcity of molybdenum in the Earth's early oceans may have strongly influenced the evolution of eukaryotic life (which includes all plants and animals). [1] At least 50 molybdenum-containing enzymes have been identified, mostly in bacteria.
The iron in cytochromes usually exists in a ferrous (Fe 2+) and a ferric (Fe 3+) state with a ferroxo (Fe 4+) state found in catalytic intermediates. [1] Cytochromes are, thus, capable of performing electron transfer reactions and catalysis by reduction or oxidation of their heme iron. The cellular location of cytochromes depends on their function.
Nitrogenase is thought to have evolved sometime between 1.5-2.2 billion years ago (Ga), [38] [39] although some isotopic support showing nitrogenase evolution as early as around 3.2 Ga. [40] Nitrogenase appears to have evolved from maturase-like proteins, although the function of the preceding protein is currently unknown. [41]
[3] [4] He examines the structure and function of metal-containing proteins, especially nitrogenase in biological nitrogen fixation, and membrane proteins that carry out ATP-dependent transport through membranes (e.g. ABC transporters). To do this, his group uses X-ray crystallography. His interest in nitrogenase began in William Lipscomb's ...
Bioorganometallic systems feature metal-carbon bonds as structural elements or as intermediates. Bioorganometallic enzymes and proteins include the hydrogenases, FeMoco in nitrogenase, and methylcobalamin. These naturally occurring organometallic compounds. This area is more focused on the utilization of metals by unicellular organisms.
The nitrogenase holoenzyme of A. vinelandii has been characterised by X-ray crystallography in both ADP tetrafluoroaluminate-bound [5] and MgATP-bound [6] states. The enzyme possesses molybdenum iron - sulfido cluster cofactors ( FeMoco ) as active sites , each bearing two pseudocubic iron-sulfido structures.