Chemistry
Catalytic Mechanisms of Metalloenzymes in Nitrogen Fixation
Quick fact
The enzyme nitrogenase, which fixes nitrogen, operates at ambient temperature and pressure, while the industrial Haber-Bosch process requires extreme heat (400–500°C) and pressure (150–200 atm). Nitrogenase achieves this by using a complex metal cofactor containing molybdenum and iron to weaken the unbreakable triple bond.
Why this is interesting
Every living thing needs nitrogen, but the air we breathe is mostly N₂—a molecule so stable that it seems inert. How do bacteria manage to break it apart and turn it into fertilizer?