The in vivo hydrocarbon formation by vanadium nitrogenase follows a secondary 
metabolic pathway

Rebelein, Johannes G.; Lee, Chi Chung; Hu, Yilin; Ribbe, Markus W.

doi:10.1038/ncomms13641

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The in vivo hydrocarbon formation by vanadium nitrogenase follows a secondary metabolic pathway

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Citation

Rebelein, J. G., Lee, C. C., Hu, Y., & Ribbe, M. W. (2016). The in vivo hydrocarbon formation by vanadium nitrogenase follows a secondary metabolic pathway. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 7: 13641. doi:10.1038/ncomms13641.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0009-EC7A-5

Abstract

The vanadium (V)-nitrogenase of Azotobacter vinelandii catalyses the in vitro conversion of carbon monoxide (CO) to hydrocarbons. Here we show that an A. vinelandii strain expressing the V-nitrogenase is capable of in vivo reduction of CO to ethylene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8). Moreover, we demonstrate that CO is not used as a carbon source for cell growth, being instead reduced to hydrocarbons in a secondary metabolic pathway. These findings suggest a possible role of the ancient nitrogenase as an evolutionary link between the carbon and nitrogen cycles on Earth and establish a solid foundation for biotechnological adaptation of a whole-cell approach to recycling carbon wastes into hydrocarbon products. Thus, this study has several repercussions for evolution-, environment- and energy-related areas.