Adenosylmethionine as a source of 5′-deoxyadenosyl radicals

The combination of an iron-sulfur cluster and S-adenosylmethionine provides a novel mechanism for the initiation of radical catalysis in an unanticipated variety of metabolic processes. Molecular details of the cluster-mediated reductive cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine to methionine and, presumably, a 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical are the targets of recent studies.