Reconstructing the evolutionary history of nitrogenases: Evidence for ancestral molybdenum-cofactor utilization.

ABSTRACT: The nitrogenase metalloenzyme family, essential for supplying fixed nitrogen to the biosphere, is one of life's key biogeochemical innovations. The three forms of nitrogenase differ in their metal dependence, each binding either a FeMo-, FeV-, or FeFe-cofactor where the reduction of dinitrogen takes place. The history of nitrogenase metal dependence has been of particular interest due to the possible implication that ancient marine metal availabilities have significantly constrained nitrogenase evolution over geologic time. Here, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of nitrogenases, and combined phylogenetic reconstruction, ancestral sequence inference, and structural homology modeling to evaluate the potential metal dependence of ancient nitrogenases. We find that active-site sequenc

SUBMITTER: Garcia AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7216921 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature