Component A2 is a redox-sensitive archaeal ATPase activated by methyl-coenzyme M reductase

Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) is the primary source of biogenic methane on Earth. In the active site of MCR, a nickel (Ni)-containing porphyrin (F430) must be in the Ni¹⁺ oxidation state to initiate catalysis. The reductive activation of MCR, i.e., reduction of F430 to its Ni¹⁺ state, is an ATP-dependent process, but the underlying ATPase and its precise role remain unknown. Component A2 is an ATP-binding protein that associates with MCR but, since it was reported to lack ATPase activity, its putative function was designated as an ATP-carrier protein. In contrast, recent structural insights into the MCR activation complex suggest that component A2 might hydrolyze ATP to drive conformational changes required for enzyme activation. Here, we provide direct biochemical evidence that component A2 is a bona fide ATPase that hydrolyzes ATP under strictly anaerobic conditions and only upon interaction with MCR. Mutational analyses reveal that component A2 must be bound to ATP prior to association with MCR and that residues involved in ATP hydrolysis do not impact protein-protein interaction. The two nucleotide-binding domains of A2 act cooperatively but display asymmetric contributions to ATP hydrolysis and MCR engagement. In addition, a distinctive N-terminal zinc-binding motif (ZBM) is required for maximal ATPase activity but is dispensable for MCR binding. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that this ZBM distinguishes component A2 from related ABC-type ATPases. Together, these findings identify component A2 as a distinct class of remodeling ATPases that powers conformational changes underlying the reductive activation of MCR.