title: Mechanism of Mo-dependent nitrogenase.
abstract: Nitrogenase is the enzyme responsible for biological reduction of dinitrogen (N(2)) to ammonia, a form usable for life. Playing a central role in the global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle, this enzyme has been the focus of intensive research for over 60 years. This chapter provides an overview of the features of nitrogenase as a background to the subsequent chapters of this volume that detail the many methods that have been applied in an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of this complex enzyme.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA. zhiyong.yang@aggiemail.usu.edu
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Karamatullah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Danyal
authors.forename: Lance C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Seefeldt
mesh_terms: D008983:Molybdoferredoxin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary
chemical_list: D008983:Molybdoferredoxin; D009591:Nitrogenase