生物化学IILecturenitrogenmetabolism.pptVIP

Nitrogen metabolism Nitrification and nitrate reduction Nitrogen fixation Nitrogenase NH3 assimilation into organic form Role of glutamate, α-KG, carbamoyl-P Amino acid synthesis Ser, gly Ala, val Asp, Thr Molecules derived from amino acids: creatine Nucleotide biosynthesis Purine, de novo Pyrimidine, de novo Salvage pathways Deoxy nucleotides Nitrogen metabolism, biosynthesis of amino acids and nucleotides Nitrogen has many oxidation states which makes it a very versatile compound From +5 to -3 (nitrate to ammonia) Nitrification and Nitrate reduction Excess NH3 is excreted into the soil from organisms where bacteria re-oxidize it: Nitrosomonas: NH3 + O2 ? NO2- (Nitrification) Nitrobacter: NO2- + O2 ? NO3- (Nitrification) NH3 is used for energy NO3- is the most abundant form of N in the soil NO3- is converted back to NH3 by reductases (nitrate reduction) Denitrification: NO3- ? N2 Many anaerobic use NO3- as a terminal electron acceptor Creates a transmembrane gradient to make ATP like in the ETC Nitrogen fixation N2 has a very strong triple bond Fixation of N2 into NH3 by industrial methods requires a lot of energy: Haber process: N2 + 3 H2 ? 2 NH3 At 450oC and 200 atm pressure Or, by lightning: N2 + O2 ? 2 NO ? 2 NO2 Nitrogen fixation Plants can do this under at room temperature under atmospheric pressure Catalyzed by Nitrogenase (large complex enzyme) that has 2 subunits: Dinitrogenase Dinitrogenase reductase This process requires 2 steps: An electron and ATP producing stage A N2 reduction stage It is carried out anaerobically because Nitrogenase is sensitive to O2. Electron + ATP producing stage N2 reduction stage The electrons are transferred from NADH through the Fe-containing protein ferridoxin to the Nitrogenase complex N2 fixation We need 8 electrons to reduce N2 ? NH3 since H2 is also produced (takes up 2 electrons) Overall: Incorporation of NH3 into organic form NH3 can be assimilated into organic molecules through glutamate and glutamine Most imp