Structures of the methyltransferase component of Desulfitobacterium hafniense DCB-2 O-demethylase shed light on methyltetrahydrofolate formation
Sjuts, H., Dunstan, M.S., Fisher, K., Leys, D.(2015) Acta Crystallogr D Biol Crystallogr 71: 1900-1908
- PubMed: 26327380 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1107/S1399004715013061
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4O0Q, 4O1E, 4O1F - PubMed Abstract: 
O-Demethylation by acetogenic or organohalide-respiring bacteria leads to the formation of methyltetrahydrofolate from aromatic methyl ethers. O-Demethylases, which are cobalamin-dependent, three-component enzyme systems, catalyse methyl-group transfers from aromatic methyl ethers to tetrahydrofolate via methylcobalamin intermediates. In this study, crystal structures of the tetrahydrofolate-binding methyltransferase module from a Desulfitobacterium hafniense DCB-2 O-demethylase were determined both in complex with tetrahydrofolate and the product methyltetrahydrofolate. While these structures are similar to previously determined methyltransferase structures, the position of key active-site residues is subtly altered. A strictly conserved Asn is displaced to establish a putative proton-transfer network between the substrate N5 and solvent. It is proposed that this supports the efficient catalysis of methyltetrahydrofolate formation, which is necessary for efficient O-demethylation.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, England.