Kamil Górecki, PhD

Synthetic Biology & Bioengineering

Nitrogenase Engineering

Building on our discoveries about how nitrogenase evolved, how its cofactors assemble, and how the enzyme functions, we work on transferring nitrogen fixation into heterologous hosts such as E. coli. By simplifying the maturation pathway, coordinating electron delivery, and identifying the minimal components required for activity, we have shown that a non-diazotrophic organism can be engineered to grow on N₂ gas as its sole nitrogen source.

These efforts combine synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and deep biochemical insight, and they reflect close collaboration across multiple groups. The long-term goal is not only to understand what makes nitrogenase work at a fundamental level but also to build flexible, engineered systems that could support new applications in biological nitrogen fixation and sustainable biotechnology.

A simplified nitrogenase enables growth on N₂ as the sole nitrogen source, and ¹⁵N incorporation can be visualized by nanoSIMS.
(Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 2025)
Related publications:

Related publications:

  1. Y. A Liu, C. C. Lee, K. Górecki, M. T Stiebritz, C. Duffin, J. B. Solomon, M. W. Ribbe, Y. Hu, Heterologous synthesis of a simplified nitrogenase analog in Escherichia coli, (2025), Science Advances, 11(18). Read
  2. C. C. Lee*, K. Górecki*, M. Stang, M. W. Ribbe, and Y. Hu, Cofactor maturase NifEN: A prototype ancient nitrogenase?, (2024), Science Advances, 10(24). Read
  3. J. B. Solomon*, Y. A. Liu*, K. Górecki*, R. Quechol, C. C. Lee, A. J. Jasniewski, Y. Hu, M. W. Ribbe, Heterologous expression of a fully active Azotobacter vinelandii nitrogenase Fe protein in Escherichia coli, (2023), mBio, 14:e02572-23. Read
  4. R. Quechol, J. B. Solomon, Y. A. Liu, C. C. Lee, A. J. Jasniewski, K. Górecki, P. Oyala, B. Hedman, K. O. Hodgson, M. W. Ribbe, and Y. Hu, Heterologous synthesis of the complex homometallic cores of nitrogenase P- and M-clusters in Escherichia coli, (2023), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 120 (44) e2314788120. Read (open access at PubMed)

Bioelectrochemistry & Microbe–Electrode Interfaces

My bioelectrochemistry work explores how bacteria interact electrically with solid surfaces, and how we can engineer or tune these interactions. I study electron-transfer pathways, metabolic states, and membrane components that influence current generation or uptake. These insights support the design of microbial systems that can communicate with electrodes, opening possibilities for biosensors, energy conversion, and bioelectronic tools.

Related publications:

  1. K. Hasan, K.V.R. Reddy, V. Essman, K. Górecki, P. O Conghaile, W. Schuhmmann, D. Leech, C. Hägerhäll, L. Gorton, Electrochemical Communication Between Electrodes and Rhodobacter capsulatus Grown in Different Metabolic Modes, (2015) Electroanalysis 27 (1): 118-127. Read
  2. S. A. Patil, K. Górecki, C. Hägerhäll, L. Gorton Cisplatin-induced elongation of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 cells improves microbe-electrode interactions for use in microbial fuel cells, (2013) Energy & Environmental Science, 6: 2626-2630. Read
  3. K. Hasan, S. A. Patil, K. Górecki, D. Leech, C. Hägerhäll, L. Gorton, Electrochemical communication between heterotrophically grown Rhodobacter capsulatus with electrodes mediated by an osmium redox polymer, (2013) Bioelectrochemistry, pp. 30-36. Read