Nitrogen is an essential element for life. In nature nitrogen is found primarily in two forms: N2 and NH3. Highly specialized organisms are capable of reducing gaseous N2 to NH3, a form available to living organisms, by the nitrogenase enzyme. In many of these specialized nitrogen fixing bacteria the nitrogenase enzyme is regulated by a post-translational modification known as ADP ribosylation. This, however, is not the only regulatory pathway. In Rhodobacter sphaeroides a different mechanism is believed to take place. It is hypothesized that it instead goes through a post-translational covalent modification by a small organic group, possibly a methyl or acetyl group. This was tested by anaerobic purification of the active and inactive forms of enzyme, followed by mass spectrometery analysis. A mass difference corresponding to a methyl or acetyl group between the active and inactive forms would indicate a post-translational modification.

Posttranslational modification of nitrogenase in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

249th National Meeting (2015)

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