The Cofactors of Nitrogenases

In biological nitrogen fixation, the enzyme nitrogenase mediates the reductive cleavage of the stable triple bond of gaseous N2at ambient conditions, driven by the hydrolysis of ATP, to yield bioavailable ammonium (NH4+). At the core of nitrogenase is a complex, ironsulfur based cofactor that in most variants of the enzyme contains an additional, apical heterometal (Mo or V), an organic homocitrate ligand coordinated to this heterometal, and a unique, interstitial carbide. Recent years have witnessed fundamental advances in our understanding of the atomic and electronic structure of the nitrogenase cofactor. Spectroscopic studies have succeeded in trapping and identifying reaction intermediates and several inhibitor- or intermediate- bound structures of the cofactors were characterized by high-resolution X-ray crystallography. Here we summarize the current state of understanding of the cofactors of the nitrogenase enzymes, their interplay in electron transfer and in the six-electron reduction of nitrogen to ammonium and the actual theoretical and experimental conclusion on how this challenging chemistry is achieved.