Molecular enzymology of the Eco RV DNA-(adenine-N6)-methyltransferase: kinetics of DNA binding and bending, kinetic mechanism and linear diffusion of the enzyme on DNA

The Eco RV DNA-(adenine-N6)-methyltransferase recognizes GATATC sequences and modifies the first adenine residue within this site. We show here, that the enzyme binds to the DNA and the cofactor S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in an ordered bi-bi fashion, with AdoMet being bound first. M.Eco RV binds DNA in a non-specific manner and the enzyme searches for its recognition site by linear diffusion with a range of approximately 1800 bp. During linear diffusion the enzyme continuously scans the DNA for the presence of recognition sites. Upon specific M.Eco RV-DNA complex formation a strong increase in the fluorescence of an oligonucleotide containing a 2-aminopurine base analogue at the GAT-2AP-TC position is observed which, most likely, is correlated with DNA bending. In contrast to the GAT-2AP-TC substrate, a G-2AP-TATC substrate in which the target base is replaced by 2-aminopurine does not show an increase in fluorescence upon M.Eco RV binding, demonstrating that 2-aminopurine is not a general tool to detect base flipping. Stopped-flow experiments show that DNA bending is a fast process with rate constants>10 s−1. In the presence of cofactor, the specific complex adopts a second conformation, in which the target sequence is more tightly contacted by the enzyme. M.Eco RV exists in an open and in a closed state that are in slow equilibrium. Closing the open state is a slow process (rate constant ≈0.7 min−1) that limits the rate of DNA methylation under single turnover conditions. Product release requires opening of the closed complex which is very slow (rate constant ≈0.05–0.1 min−1) and limits the rate of DNA methylation under multiple turnover conditions. M.Eco RV methylates DNA sequences containing more than one recognition sites in a distributive manner. Since the dissociation rate from non-specific DNA does not depend on the length of the DNA fragment, DNA dissociation does not preferentially occur at the ends of the DNA.