Kinetic Basis of the Bifunctionality of SsoII DNA Methyltransferase

Type II restriction–modification (RM) systems are the most widespread bacterial antiviral defence mechanisms. DNA methyltransferase SsoII (M.SsoII) from a Type II RM system SsoII regulates transcription in its own RM system in addition to the methylation function. DNA with a so-called regulatory site inhibits the M.SsoII methylation activity. Using circular permutation assay, we show that M.SsoII monomer induces DNA bending of 31° at the methylation site and 46° at the regulatory site. In the M.SsoII dimer bound to the regulatory site, both protein subunits make equal contributions to the DNA bending, and both angles are in the same plane. Fluorescence of TAMRA, 2-aminopurine, and Trp was used to monitor conformational dynamics of DNA and M.SsoII under pre-steady-state conditions by stopped-flow technique. Kinetic data indicate that M.SsoII prefers the regulatory site to the methylation site at the step of initial protein–DNA complex formation. Nevertheless, in the presence of S-adenosyl-l-methionine, the induced fit is accelerated in the M.SsoII complex with the methylation site, ensuring efficient formation of the catalytically competent complex. The presence of S-adenosyl-l-methionine and large amount of the methylation sites promote efficient DNA methylation by M.SsoII despite the inhibitory effect of the regulatory site.