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    Lecture 8 PDF

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    Nitrogenase is the enzyme complex that catalyzes nitrogen fixation. It consists of two protein components, the molybdenum-iron protein and iron protein. Nitrogenase is oxygen labile and must be protected from oxygen by structures like leghemoglobin in legume nodules or heterocysts in cyanobacteria. The enzyme requires metals and utilizes a complex cofactor to reduce nitrogen gas into ammonia.

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    Lecture 8 PDF

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    Nitrogenase is the enzyme complex that catalyzes nitrogen fixation. It consists of two protein components, the molybdenum-iron protein and iron protein. Nitrogenase is oxygen labile and must be protected from oxygen by structures like leghemoglobin in legume nodules or heterocysts in cyanobacteria. The enzyme requires metals and utilizes a complex cofactor to reduce nitrogen gas into ammonia.

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    Nitrogenase is the enzyme complex that catalyzes nitrogen fixation. It consists of two protein components, the molybdenum-iron protein and iron protein. Nitrogenase is oxygen labile and must be protected from oxygen by structures like leghemoglobin in legume nodules or heterocysts in cyanobacteria. The enzyme requires metals and utilizes a complex cofactor to reduce nitrogen gas into ammonia.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    186 views10 pages

    Lecture 8 PDF

    Uploaded by

    aaa rr
    Nitrogenase is the enzyme complex that catalyzes nitrogen fixation. It consists of two protein components, the molybdenum-iron protein and iron protein. Nitrogenase is oxygen labile and must be protected from oxygen by structures like leghemoglobin in legume nodules or heterocysts in cyanobacteria. The enzyme requires metals and utilizes a complex cofactor to reduce nitrogen gas into ammonia.

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    The key takeaways are that nitrogenase is the enzyme that catalyzes nitrogen fixation and it consists of two major protein components - dinitrogenase and dinitrogenase reductase.

    The two major components of nitrogenase are dinitrogenase (MoFe-protein) and dinitrogenase reductase (Fe-protein).

    Nitrogenase protects itself from oxygen through mechanisms like leghaemoglobin in legume nodules and specialized heterocyst structures in cyanobacteria.

    Enzyme Nitrogenase and its

    component
    Nitrogenase
    • Nitrogen fixation is catalyzed by an enzyme
    complex known as nitrogenase
    • Found only in diazotrophic prokaryotes, because
    they have the genes coding for this enzyme
    • Nitrogenase is rapidly and irreversibly inactivated
    by molecular oxygen
    • It is very sensitive to oxygen and must be
    protected from oxygen-inactivation within the
    cell
    N2 + 8H+ + 8e- + 16ATP 2NH3 + H2 + 16ADP + 16 Pi
    Nitrogenase
    • In legume nodules, the protection against
    oxygen is provided by leghaemoglobin (oxygen
    binding protein).
    • Whereas in many cyanobacteria it is achieved
    by a special structure called the heterocyst.
    Heterocyst have thickened, multilayered cell
    walls that restricts the diffusion of oxygen.
    Also characterized by a high respiratory
    activity that maintains a low intracellular
    oxygen
    Nitrogenase
    nitrogenase consists of two major protein
    components
    1. Dintrogenase (MoFe-protein)
    2. Dinitrogenase reductase (Fe-protein)
    Nitrogenase
    1. Dintrogenase (MoFe-protein)
    a. It contains molybdenum(Mo) and iron (Fe)
    b. Fe and Mo are contained in a cofactor called MoFe-
    cofactor or MoFe-co
    c. Contains two molecules of Mo ions in the form of an iron-
    molybdenum-sulphur cofactor. Also contains Fe4S4
    clusters
    d. Molecular weight is 220,000
    e. Composition is MoFe7S8-homocitrate
    f. Present in two copies per molecule of nitrogenase
    g. Actual site of reduction of N2
    Nitrogenase
    2. Dintrogenase reductase (Fe-protein)
    a. Contains Fe only
    b. Molecular weight – 64,000
    c. Has 4 iron atoms
    d. Rapidly and irreversibly inactivated by O2
    e. In the beginning of the process of nitrogen
    fixation, the ferredoxin first reduces Fe-protein,
    which in turn reduces to MoFe-protein
    Nitrogenase
    1. Nitrogenase, is an equilibrium mixture of
    MoFe-protein and Fe-protein
    2. In which Fe-protein’s two subunits are
    arranged like a pair butterfly wings with Fe-S
    cluster between the wings like the ‘Head’ of
    the butterfly
    3. The enzyme complex requires Mg2+ ions for
    its activation
    Nitrogenase enzyme complex unit
    Nitrogenase
    • Factors affecting nitrogenase activity
    1. Oxygen sensitivity
    2. Temperature
    3. pH
    4. Soil moisture
    Nitrogenase
    • Organisms that synthesize nitrogenase
    1. Free-living diazotrophs, e.g.
    a. Cyanobacteria (by means of differentiated
    heterocysts)
    b. Azotobacteraceae
    2. Symbiotic diazotrophs, e.g.
    a. Rhizobia
    b. Frankia

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