Question

Bacteria and archaea carry out the process of nitrogen fixation, which reduces atmospheric nitrogen, N2, to the biologically useful form NH3, also called ammonia. The nitrogenase complex consists of two proteins, reductase and nitrogenase, which catalyze the reactions of nitrogen fixation.

Match each structural feature or function with the corresponding component of the nitrogenase complex.

1) has a cofactor containing molybdenum, iron, and sulfur
2) also called the iron protein or the Fe protein
3) binds and hydrolyzes ATP for electron transfer
4) provides electrons with high reducing power uses to the other component
5) uses electrons from the other component to reduce atmospheric nitrogen
6) heterotetramer
7) homodimer

a) Reductase
b) Nitrogenase

Answer 1

a) Reductase

2) also called the iron protein or the Fe protein

3) binds and hydrolyzes ATP for electron transfer

4) provides electrons with high reducing power uses to the other component

7) homodimer

b) Nitrogenase

1) has a cofactor containing molybdenum, iron, and sulfur

5) uses electrons from the other component to reduce atmospheric nitrogen.

6) heterotetramer

Step-by-step explanation:

Reductase is also called the iron protein or the Fe protein due to the presence of iron as key component while nitrogenase contains molybdenum, iron, and sulfur as a co-factor. For the transfer of electron in the reduction reaction of reductase, energy is required so ATP hydrolysis occurs. Homodimer consist of two sub-units which is present in reductase while heterotetramer has four parts or sub-units which is present in nitrogenase.