Problems engineering N2 fixation
Large number of genes: complex
Increasing N2 fixation a “power” drain
- costly energy user (ATP)
- may slow growth rate, effectivenes
transfer of nif genes to plants?
- Normal oxygen levels will inactivate nitrogenase
- major transcriptional regulation problems
- bacterial genes to eukaryotic host
- lots of detailed engineering (20 genes; 1 operon)