A molybdenum cofactor is a biochemical
cofactor that contains
molybdenum
Molybdenum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mo (from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'') and atomic number 42. The name derived from Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lead ores. Molybdenum minerals hav ...
.
Examples include:
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Molybdopterin
Molybdopterins are a class of cofactors found in most molybdenum-containing and all tungsten-containing enzymes. Synonyms for molybdopterin are: MPT and pyranopterin-dithiolate. The nomenclature for this biomolecule can be confusing: Molybdopte ...
(or, strictly speaking, the molybdopterin-molybdenum-complex), the organophosphate-dithiolate ligand that binds molybdenum and tungsten in most molybdenum- (except nitrogenases) and all tungsten-containing proteins
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FeMoco
FeMoco ( cofactor) or M-cluster is the primary cofactor of nitrogenase. Nitrogenase is the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen molecules N2 into ammonia (NH3) through the process known as nitrogen fixation. Because it con ...
, a metal cluster that contains Fe, Mo, and S that is found in some nitrogenases
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