Download MendeleyStructure of a cofactor-deficient nitrogenase MoFe protein.
Schmid, B., Ribbe, M.W., Einsle, O., Yoshida, M., Thomas, L.M., Dean, D.R., Rees, D.C., Burgess, B.K.(2002) Science 296: 352-356
- PubMed: 11951047
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1070010
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
1L5H - PubMed Abstract:
One of the most complex biosynthetic processes in metallobiochemistry is the assembly of nitrogenase, the key enzyme in biological nitrogen fixation. We describe here the crystal structure of an iron-molybdenum cofactor-deficient form of the nitrogenase MoFe protein, into which the cofactor is inserted in the final step of MoFe protein assembly. The MoFe protein folds as a heterotetramer containing two copies each of the homologous alpha and beta subunits. In this structure, one of the three alpha subunit domains exhibits a substantially changed conformation, whereas the rest of the protein remains essentially unchanged. A predominantly positively charged funnel is revealed; this funnel is of sufficient size to accommodate insertion of the negatively charged cofactor.
Organizational Affiliation:
Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Mail Code 147-75CH, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
