Protein interactions in the human methionine synthase-methionine synthase reductase complex and implications for the mechanism of enzyme reactivation.

Methionine synthase (MS) is a cobalamin-dependent enzyme. It transfers a methyl group from methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine forming methionine and tetrahydrofolate. On the basis of sequence similarity with Escherichia coli cobalamin-dependent MS (MetH), human MS comprises four discrete functional modules that bind from the N- to C-terminus, respectively, homocysteine, methyltetrahydrofolate, cobalamin, and S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet). The C-terminal activation domain also interacts with methionine synthase reductase (MSR), a NADPH-dependent diflavin oxidoreductase required for the reductive regeneration of catalytically inert cob(II)alamin (which is formed every 200-1000 catalytic cycles of MS) to cob(I)alamin. We have investigated complex formation between the (i) MS activation domain and MSR and (ii) MS activation domain and the isolated FMN-binding domain of MSR. We show that the MS activation domain interacts directly with the FMN-binding domain of MSR. Binding is weakened at high ionic strength, emphasizing the importance of electrostatic interactions at the protein-protein interface. Mutagenesis of conserved lysine residues (Lys1071 and Lys987) in the human activation domain weakens this protein interaction. Chemical cross-linking demonstrates complex formation mediated by acidic residues (FMN-binding domain) and basic residues (activation domain). The activation domain and isolated FMN-domain form a 1:1 complex, but a 1:2 complex is formed with activation domain and MSR. The midpoint reduction potentials of the FAD and FMN cofactors of MSR are not perturbed significantly on forming this complex, implying that electron transfer to cob(II)alamin is endergonic. The kinetics of electron transfer in MSR and the MSR-activation domain complex are similar. Our studies indicate (i) conserved binding determinants, but differences in protein stoichiometry, between human MS and bacterial MetH in complex formation with redox partners; (ii) a substantial endergonic barrier to electron transfer in the reactivation complex; and (iii) a lack of control on the thermodynamics and kinetics of electron transfer in MSR exerted by complex formation with activation domain. The structural and functional consequences of complex formation are discussed in light of the known crystal structure of human activation domain and the inferred conformational heterogeneity of the multidomain MSR-MS complex.