An indirect role of vitamin B12 in regulation of thymidylate synthase in Lactobacillus leichmannii.

Vitamin B12 augments thymidylate synthase function in L. leichmannii by facilitating indirectly the availability of suitable nonmethylpolyglutamylfolate cofactors. This is effected by the demethylation of trapped methyltetrahydrofolates, catalysed by a vitamin B12 requiring methionine synthase. Deoxyuridine supplemented cells, lacking in B12, have decreased levels of methionine synthase and thymidylate synthase. Addition of active and inactive conjugase preparation as a source of mono and polyglutamylfolates indicated that the latter are the preferred cofactors for thymidylate synthase.