Give the biochemical events occurring in the root nodule of a pulse plant. What is the end product? What is its fate?
Give the biochemical events occurring in the root nodule of a pulse plant. What is the end product? What is its fate?

Solution: In the presence of the enzyme nitrogenase, free nitrogen in the air is converted to Ammonia or other nitrogenous compounds in the nitrogen fixation process. {{N}_{2}}+8{{H}^{+}}+8{{e}^{\_}}\to 2N{{H}_{3}}+{{H}_{2}}

Ammonia is the end product of the metabolic reactions (N{{H}_{3}}).

Ammonia is integrated into amino acids as an amino group as a result of nitrogen fixation. The fate of ammonia is the protonation of the NH3 group to the NH4+ group at physiological pH.

1. Amination by Reduction: Glutamate is formed when alpha-ketoglutaric acid reacts with glutamate. Ammonia interacts with a-ketoglutaric acid to generate glutamate in this process.

2. Transamination: This reaction involves the transfer of an amino group ( N{{H}_{2}}) from one amino acid to another, which is catalyzed by the transaminase enzyme.