title: The in vivo hydrocarbon formation by vanadium nitrogenase follows a secondary metabolic pathway.
abstract: The vanadium (V)-nitrogenase of Azotobacter vinelandii catalyses the in vitro conversion of carbon monoxide (CO) to hydrocarbons. Here we show that an A. vinelandii strain expressing the V-nitrogenase is capable of in vivo reduction of CO to ethylene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8). Moreover, we demonstrate that CO is not used as a carbon source for cell growth, being instead reduced to hydrocarbons in a secondary metabolic pathway. These findings suggest a possible role of the ancient nitrogenase as an evolutionary link between the carbon and nitrogen cycles on Earth and establish a solid foundation for biotechnological adaptation of a whole-cell approach to recycling carbon wastes into hydrocarbon products. Thus, this study has several repercussions for evolution-, environment- and energy-related areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, 2236 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, California 92697-3900, USA.
authors.forename: Johannes G
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2560-716X
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Rebelein
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, 2236 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, California 92697-3900, USA.
authors.forename: Chi Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, 2236 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, California 92697-3900, USA.
authors.forename: Yilin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, 2236 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, California 92697-3900, USA.|Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2025, USA.
authors.forename: Markus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Ribbe
mesh_terms: D016948:Azotobacter vinelandii / Q000378:metabolism*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism; D004980:Ethane / Q000378:metabolism; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000378:metabolism; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011407:Propane / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005030:Ethylenes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; C036216:ethylene; D009591:Nitrogenase; D004980:Ethane; D011407:Propane