Nitrogenase-Cutaway

This is a cut-away sectional of the enzyme nitrogenase. Nitrogenase is the method than diazotrophs (nitrogen fixing organisms) utilize to convert the nitrogen gas found in the atmosphere (~78% of the atmosphere is nitrogen) into ammonia that can be used to make fundamental building blocks such as proteins and DNA. It is not the entire protein (I am working on that as well), but is the section that houses the two unique metal clusters that are found in this component.

I included the FeMo-cofactor with homocitrate and P-cluster, along with many of the amino acids that surround these two cofactors. This is a nice example of how nature has brought together very intricate clusters and arranged them to make a very nice catalyst. I finished my model and painted the various cofacters (sulfur yellow and iron green), along with some of the secondary structure. Really happy with how this one turned out. I painted the braces with a steel paint to indicate that they are not really part of the st