The use of a spectrophotometric assay to study the interaction of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase with methionine analogues.

We have developed a continuous spectrophotometric assay for S-adenosylmethionine synthetase and, using this assay, have examined the interaction of five potential inhibitors with the E. coli enzyme. S-Vinylhomocysteine and S-allylhomocysteine were found to be substrates, while S-(methanethio)cysteine and S-(methanethio)homocysteine were found to be competitive inhibitors. S-Cyanohomocysteine is neither a substrate nor an inhibitor.