Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41908675›Full record

ArticleNature catalysis2026

Structural insights into metallocluster trafficking in the nitrogenase assembly scaffold NifEN.

Bryan Neumann, Kristal A Brandon, Robert Quechol, Diana S Suder, Chi Chung Lee, Yimo Yang, Kamil Górecki, Jared A Wiig, Yilin Hu, Shane Gonen and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature catalysis, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Bryan NeumannDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9596-1300
Kristal A Brandon *Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0009-0008-2231-754X
Robert Quechol *Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5263-7095
Diana S SuderDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6226-8390
Chi Chung LeeDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.
Yimo YangDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.
Kamil GóreckiDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9672-2408
Jared A WiigDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.
Yilin HuDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9088-2865
Shane GonenDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4829-3151
Markus W RibbeDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7366-1526

Funding

Nitrogenase Assembly MechanismR01GM067626 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · PI RIBBE, MARKUS W · 2003 to 2024
$6.3M
NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM067626
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Nitrogenase catalyses small-molecule activation, and has great relevance to agronomy, environment and energy. Understanding the assembly of the complex nitrogenase cofactor is a decades-long goal in the field, and structural insights into this process remain scarce. Here we report a cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) study of heterologously expressed NifEN, a key player converting the precursor (L-cluster) to a mature cofactor (M-cluster). Structural analyses of apo- and holo-NifEN demonstrate major conformational changes triggered by L-cluster incorporation. Further examinations of NifEN structures with inwardly and outwardly bound L-clusters, coupled with supporting mutational studies, AlphaFold 3 predictions and negative-stain EM analyses of NifEN complexed with upstream (NifB) and downstream (NifH) assembly partners, reveal a tunnel linking NifEN with NifB and NifH, with NifEN serving as a dynamic hub that coordinates L-cluster reception, maturation and delivery via conformation-gated metallocluster trafficking.

Indexed as

Cryoelectron microscopyMetalloproteins

Identifiers

PMID41908675
PMCPMC13031127

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.