DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Electroenzymatic Nitrogen Fixation Using an Organic Redox Polymer-Immobilized MoFe Protein System

Journal Article · · Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); University of Utah
  2. Ruhr Univ., Bochum (Germany)
  3. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

Nitrogenase is the single biological catalyst that is understood to convert dinitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3). Nitrogenase-catalyzed NH3 formation in vivo is energetically intensive due to a series of events, including a Fe protein cycle coupled with ATP hydrolysis. Furthermore, the complexity of nitrogenase’s cofactors plagues related bioelectrodes by unstable and poor electric wiring between the cofactors and the electrode, thereby lowering the overall bioelectrocatalytic performance. We report an organic redox polymer-based electroenzymatic nitrogen fixation system using a metal-free redox polymer namely neutral red-modified poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-methylmethacrylate- co-poly(ethyleneglycol)methacrylate) with a low redox potential of -0.58 V vs. SCE. The stable and efficient electric wiring of nitrogenase within the redox polymer matrix enables mediated bioelectrocatalysis of N3 -, NO2 - and N2 to NH3 catalyzed by the MoFe protein via the polymer-bound redox moieties distributed in the polymer matrix in the absence of the Fe protein. Bulk bioelectrosynthetic experiments produced 209 ± 30 nmol NH3 nmol MoFe-1 h-1 from N2 reduction. 15N2 labeling experiments and NMR analysis were performed to confirm biosynthetic N2 reduction to NH3.

Research Organization:
Fulcrum Bioscience, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Advanced Manufacturing Office (EE-5A); German Research Foundation; European Research Council (ERC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0017845
OSTI ID:
1633080
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1641851; OSTI ID: 1641854; OSTI ID: 22947374
Journal Information:
Angewandte Chemie (International Edition), Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie (International Edition) Journal Issue: 38 Vol. 59; ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher:
WileyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (34)

Nitrogenase Bioelectrochemistry for Synthesis Applications journal November 2019
Nitrogenase bioelectrocatalysis: heterogeneous ammonia and hydrogen production by MoFe protein journal January 2016
Electron Transfer from Semiconductor Nanocrystals to Redox Enzymes journal April 2020
Redox polymers in bioelectrochemistry: Common playgrounds and novel concepts journal October 2017
Bioelectrochemical Haber-Bosch Process: An Ammonia-Producing H 2 /N 2 Fuel Cell journal February 2017
Mechanism of Molybdenum Nitrogenase journal January 1996
Nitrogenase reactivity: azide reduction journal January 1985
Pyrene hydrogel for promoting direct bioelectrochemistry: ATP-independent electroenzymatic reduction of N 2 journal January 2018
Nitrogenase Structure and Function: A Biochemical-Genetic Perspective journal October 1995
Efficient NADH Regeneration by a Redox Polymer-Immobilized Enzymatic System journal May 2019
Construction of Uniform Monolayer- and Orientation-Tunable Enzyme Electrode by a Synthetic Glucose Dehydrogenase without Electron-Transfer Subunit via Optimized Site-Specific Gold-Binding Peptide Capable of Direct Electron Transfer journal August 2018
Mechanism of Mo-Dependent Nitrogenase journal June 2009
QM/MM Molecular Modeling and Marcus Theory in the Molecular Design of Electrodes for Enzymatic Fuel Cells journal October 2013
Redoxproteinschichten auf leitenden Trägern – Systeme für bioelektronische Anwendungen journal April 2000
Electron-transfer kinetics in organized thiol monolayers with attached pentaammine(pyridine)ruthenium redox centers journal April 1992
Integration of Layered Redox Proteins and Conductive Supports for Bioelectronic Applications journal April 2000
Creating a Low‐Potential Redox Polymer for Efficient Electroenzymatic CO 2 Reduction journal April 2018
Bioelectrochemical Haber-Bosch Process: An Ammonia-Producing H 2 /N 2 Fuel Cell journal February 2017
An O 2 Tolerant Polymer/Glucose Oxidase Based Bioanode as Basis for a Self-powered Glucose Sensor journal January 2018
Electron Transfer within Nitrogenase: Evidence for a Deficit-Spending Mechanism journal November 2011
Creating a Low‐Potential Redox Polymer for Efficient Electroenzymatic CO 2 Reduction journal May 2018
Rational wiring of photosystem II to hierarchical indium tin oxide electrodes using redox polymers journal January 2016
Nitrogenase: a general hydrogenator of small molecules journal January 2013
The In Vivo Potential-Regulated Protective Protein of Nitrogenase in Azotobacter vinelandii Supports Aerobic Bioelectrochemical Dinitrogen Reduction In Vitro journal June 2017
Extending the Carbon Chain: Hydrocarbon Formation Catalyzed by Vanadium/Molybdenum Nitrogenases journal August 2011
Amino-acid-encoded biocatalytic self-assembly enables the formation of transient conducting nanostructures journal April 2018
Electroenzymatic CO 2 Fixation Using Redox Polymer/Enzyme-Modified Gas Diffusion Electrodes journal November 2019
Investigating the Impact of Multi-Heme Pyrroloquinoline Quinone-Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Orientation on Direct Bioelectrocatalysis via Site Specific Enzyme Immobilization journal July 2013
Viologens and Their Application as Functional Materials journal September 2017
Wiring of Photosystem I and Hydrogenase on an Electrode for Photoelectrochemical H 2 Production by using Redox Polymers for Relatively Positive Onset Potential journal September 2016
Molybdenum-Dependent Formate Dehydrogenase for Formate Bioelectrocatalysis in a Formate/O 2 Enzymatic Fuel Cell journal January 2018
Electron-conducting redox hydrogels: design, characteristics and synthesis journal December 2006
Redox polymers in electrochemical systems: From methods of mediation to energy storage journal June 2019
Establishing a Thermodynamic Landscape for the Active Site of Mo-Dependent Nitrogenase journal October 2019