Nitrogen Fixation Methods and Protocols
Few problems in protein biochemistry have proven to be as challenging and recalcitrant as the molecular description of nitrogenase, the catalyst of one of the most remarkable chemical transformations in biological systems: the nucleotide-dependent reducti
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M OLECULAR B IOLOGY
Series Editor John M. Walker School of Life Sciences University of Hertfordshire Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/7651
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Nitrogen Fixation Methods and Protocols
Edited by
Markus W. Ribbe University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
Editor Markus W. Ribbe Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry University of California Irvine, California, USA [email protected]
ISSN 1064-3745 e-ISSN 1940-6029 ISBN 978-1-61779-193-2 e-ISBN 978-1-61779-194-9 DOI 10.1007/978-1-61779-194-9 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London Library of Congress Control Number: 2011931959 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Humana Press, c/o Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper Humana Press is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface Nitrogenase is a complex metalloenzyme that catalyzes one of the most remarkable chemical transformations in biological systems: the nucleotide-dependent reduction of atmospheric dinitrogen to bioavailable ammonia (designated biological nitrogen fixation). The fundamental significance of this process has prompted vigorous research on nitrogenase. However, few problems in protein biochemistry have proven to be as challenging and recalcitrant as the molecular description of nitrogenase. Although progress has been made toward deciphering the enzymatic and biosynthetic mechanisms of this enzyme system, further development is hampered by the complexity of nitrogenase that makes it impossible to study this enzyme by any singular method. To overcome this problem, the research area of nitrogen fixation has evolved into a highly interdisciplinary field that tackles the remaining questions of nitrogenase mechanism and biogenesis with a combination of methods. This volume attempts to provide an up-to-date, in-depth overview of the methods that have been applied to studying the nitrogenase at a molecular level. A large ensemble of approaches is covered in this volume, ranging from genetic, biochemical, spectroscopic, and chemical methods to theoretical calculations. In addition, techniques used to study an enzyme system that is homologous to nitrogenase are described in this book. A project of this scope requires the timely cooperation of many participants, and I greatly appreciate the willingnes
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