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Nitrogenase Catalytic Cycle

Interactive 3D simulator of the nitrogenase enzyme's ATP-gated electron transfer cycle: watch the Fe protein dock and undock from the MoFe protein eight times per turnover, accumulating electrons on the FeMo-cofactor until N2 is reduced to 2 NH3 plus an obligate H2, with a live population of catalytic sites and an O2-inactivation switch.

Chemistry & Materials3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

Nitrogenase is the only enzyme family capable of breaking the N≡N triple bond at ambient temperature, and it does it through a strictly ATP-gated shuttle: the Fe protein docks onto the MoFe protein, delivers one electron, burns two ATP, and undocks — eight times per completed turnover. This simulator renders that docking cycle in 3D on a hero complex while a background population of independent catalytic sites advances through the same eight electron-accumulation states (E0–E8) at rates set by an electron-flux control, splitting at E8 between productive N₂ reduction and obligate, wasteful H₂ evolution exactly as real kinetic measurements show. An oxygen-exposure control lets you irreversibly knock out sites one by one, reproducing nitrogenase's famous O₂ sensitivity.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch the nitrogenase Fe protein dock and undock from the MoFe protein eight ATP-gated times per turnover, accumulating electrons until N2 is reduced to 2 NH3 plus an obligate H2, with a live population of catalytic sites and an irreversible O2-inactivation switch.

nitrogenasenitrogen fixationenzyme kineticsbiochemistryATP hydrolysiselectron transfer

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install