Vanadium nitrogenase reduces CO

Science. 2010 Aug 6;329(5992):642. doi: 10.1126/science.1191455.

Abstract

Vanadium nitrogenase not only reduces dinitrogen to ammonia but also reduces carbon monoxide to ethylene, ethane, and propane. The parallelism between the two reactions suggests a potential link in mechanism and evolution between the carbon and nitrogen cycles on Earth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Azotobacter vinelandii / enzymology*
  • Azotobacter vinelandii / genetics
  • Biocatalysis
  • Carbon Monoxide / metabolism*
  • Ethane / metabolism
  • Ethylenes / metabolism
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Hydrogen / metabolism
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Nitrogenase / metabolism*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Propane / metabolism

Substances

  • Ethylenes
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Hydrogen
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • ethylene
  • Nitrogenase
  • Ethane
  • Nitrogen
  • Propane