The Biochemistry of Dinitrogen Fixation

Abstract

Biochemical exploration of the metabolic pathway of dinitrogen reduction has produced a wealth of information, from which, to cope with the available space, only recent data pertinent to the enzyme itself will be presented. Developments until about 1975/1976 were discussed in detail at two occasions (Zumft and Mortenson, 1975; Zumft 1976) akin to many other authoritative reviews of the subject and will not be repeated here. A valuable source of information have been, and will continue to be, the proceedings of the dinitrogen fixation biennials (Newton and Nyman, 1976; Newton et al., 1977; Newton and Orme-Johnson, 1980). Three monographs provide a broader coverage beyond the enzyme into areas of chemistry and physical chemistry (Postgate, 1971; Burns and Hardy, 1975; Hardy et al., 1979). Problems of the chemistry related to molybdenum as essential trace metal for dinitrogen reduction were recently compiled in a Single volume (Newton and Otsuka, 1980) and also covered in a more personal account (Pratt, 1979).