Abstract 2615 Identifying Binding Partners of Nitrogenase and the Protective Protein CowN in Diazotrophs undergoing CO Stress

Nitrogenase is a bacterial enzyme that converts nitrogen gas into ammonia, an important plant nutrient. Nitrogenase is a protein complex consisting of a homodimeric reductase (Fe-protein) and a catalytic subunit (MoFeP). The biological gas and pollutant carbon monoxide (CO) inhibits nitrogenase. To protect nitrogenase from CO, many nitrogen fixing organisms express a small protein, CowN, which interacts with MoFeP to weaken carbon monoxide inhibition. There are two goals to this project. First, we sought to determine if additional proteins interact with MoFeP to protect it from CO inhibition.