Electron transfer to nitrogenase in different genomic and metabolic backgrounds

dc.contributor.authorPoudel, Saroj
dc.contributor.authorColman, Daniel R.
dc.contributor.authorFixen, Kathryn R.
dc.contributor.authorLedbetter, Rhesa N.
dc.contributor.authorZheng, Yanning
dc.contributor.authorPence, Natasha
dc.contributor.authorSeefeldt, Lance C.
dc.contributor.authorPeters, John W.
dc.contributor.authorHardwood, Caroline S.
dc.contributor.authorBoyd, Eric S.
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-01T15:38:31Z
dc.date.available2018-11-01T15:38:31Z
dc.date.issued2018-02
dc.description.abstractNitrogenase catalyzes the reduction of dinitrogen (N2) using low potential electrons from ferredoxin (Fd) or flavodoxin (Fld) through an ATP dependent process. Since its emergence in an anaerobic chemoautotroph, this oxygen (O2) sensitive enzyme complex has evolved to operate in a variety of genomic and metabolic backgrounds including those of aerobes, anaerobes, chemotrophs, and phototrophs. However, whether pathways of electron delivery to nitrogenase are influenced by these different metabolic backgrounds is not well understood. Here, we report the distribution of homologs of Fds, Flds, and Fd/Fld-reducing enzymes in 359 genomes of putative N2 fixers (diazotrophs). Six distinct lineages of nitrogenase were identified and their distributions largely corresponded to differences in the host cells' ability to integrate O2 or light into energy metabolism. Predicted pathways of electron transfer to nitrogenase in aerobes, facultative anaerobes, and phototrophs varied from those in anaerobes at the level of Fds/Flds used to reduce nitrogenase, the enzymes that generate reduced Fds/Flds, and the putative substrates of these enzymes. Proteins that putatively reduce Fd with hydrogen or pyruvate were enriched in anaerobes, while those that reduce Fd with NADH/NADPH were enriched in aerobes, facultative anaerobes, and anoxygenic phototrophs. The energy metabolism of aerobic, facultatively anaerobic, and anoxygenic phototrophic diazotrophs often yields reduced NADH/NADPH that is not sufficiently reduced to drive N2 reduction. At least two mechanisms have been acquired by these taxa to overcome this limitation and to generate electrons with potentials capable of reducing Fd. These include the bifurcation of electrons or the coupling of Fd reduction to reverse ion translocation.IMPORTANCE Nitrogen fixation supplies fixed nitrogen to cells from a variety of genomic and metabolic backgrounds including those of aerobes, facultative anaerobes, chemotrophs, and phototrophs. Here, using informatics approaches applied to genomic data, we show that pathways of electron transfer to nitrogenase in metabolically diverse diazotrophic taxa have diversified primarily in response to host cells' acquired ability to integrate O2 or light into their energy metabolism. Acquisition of two key enzyme complexes enabled aerobic and facultatively anaerobic phototrophic taxa to generate electrons of sufficiently low potential to reduce nitrogenase: the bifurcation of electrons via the Fix complex or the coupling of Fd reduction to reverse ion translocation via the Rhodobacter nitrogen fixation (Rnf) complex.en_US
dc.identifier.citationPoudel, Saroj, Daniel R. Colman, Kathryn R. Fixen, Rhesa N. Ledbetter, Yanning Zheng, Natasha Pence, Lance C. Seefeldt, John W. Peters, Caroline S. Hardwood, and Eric S. Boyd. "Electron transfer to nitrogenase in different genomic and metabolic backgrounds." Journal of Bacteriology (February 2018). DOI:10.1128/JB.00757-17.en_US
dc.identifier.issn1098-5530
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/14979
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.rightsThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).en_US
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en_US
dc.titleElectron transfer to nitrogenase in different genomic and metabolic backgroundsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
mus.citation.journaltitleJournal of Bacteriologyen_US
mus.contributor.orcidPeters, John W.|0000-0001-9117-9568en_US
mus.data.thumbpage9en_US
mus.identifier.categoryLife Sciences & Earth Sciencesen_US
mus.identifier.doi10.1128/JB.00757-17en_US
mus.relation.collegeCollege of Letters & Scienceen_US
mus.relation.departmentMicrobiology & Immunology.en_US
mus.relation.universityMontana State University - Bozemanen_US

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