title: Metalloenzymes of the denitrification pathway.
abstract: Denitrification, or dissimilative nitrate reduction, is an anaerobic process used by some bacteria for energy generation. This process is important in many aspects, but its environmental implications have been given particular relevance. Nitrate accumulation and release of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere due to excess use of fertilizers in agriculture are examples of two environmental problems where denitrification plays a central role. The reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas is accomplished by four different types of metalloenzymes in four simple steps: nitrate is reduced to nitrite, then to nitric oxide, followed by the reduction to nitrous oxide and by a final reduction to dinitrogen. In this manuscript we present a concise updated review of the bioinorganic aspects of denitrification.
authors.affiliation: Requimte, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal. pedro.tavares@dq.fct.unl.pt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: J J G
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moura
mesh_terms: D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D050901:Nitrate Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D009572:Nitrite Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D009566:Nitrates; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D009572:Nitrite Reductases; C022763:nitrous oxide reductase; C034747:nitric-oxide reductase; D050901:Nitrate Reductase