Three-dimensional X-ray crystal structure of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine, a potent inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases

Abstract

In order to obtain information on the probable spatial arrangement of the biologically important S-adenosylmethionine, the X-ray crystal structure of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine has been determined; the conformations of the two independent molecules are anti for the glycosidic bond, C(3′)-endo or C(1′)-exo-C(2′)-endo sugar puckering, gauche-gauche for the orientation about the C(4′)–C(5′) bond, and extended in the L-homocysteine moiety.