Nitrogenase Reveals Its Inner Secrets
- 6 September 2002
- journal article
- editorial
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 297 (5587) , 1654-1655
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1076659
Abstract
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria contain the enzyme nitrogenase that enables them to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which can then be used by plants for growth. In a Perspective, [Smith][1] discusses a new structural analysis of the MoFe protein of nitrogenase, which reveals the existence of an interstitial atom in the active site that may be nitrogen. This unexpected finding could help chemists to design a more efficient method for producing ammonia from atmospheric nitrogen. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/297/5587/1654Keywords
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