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Dr. Niels Nathan Oehlmann

Postdoctoral Researcher, AG Rebelin
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
Mail: Niels.Oehlmann@mpi-marburg.mpg.de

Project summary:
Nitrogenases are best known for nitrogen (N2) fixation into ammonia. Beyond the N2 reduction activity, we recently demonstrated that the Fe nitrogenase reduces the green-house gas CO2 to formate (HCOO–) and methane in vivo due to its comparatively low N2 selectivity. A key result in this study was the accumulation of HCOO– to high concentrations (>10 mM) in the medium of phototrophically grown R. capsulatus. HCOO– has received increased attention as a sustainable carbon-source for the bio economy emphasizing the potential of the Fe nitrogenase for feedstock chemical production. The Fe nitrogenase couples the formation of HCOO– mechanistically to the hydrolysis of light derived ATP and thereby strongly shifts the equilibrium of the CO2 reduction reaction to HCOO–. The goal of the project is to harness the HCOO– for biomass formation in R. capsulatus to develop a new-to-nature and nitrogenase-based photosynthesis.

Cooperation with: Tobias Erb (MPI-TM)