Human cystathionine beta-synthase is a hemeprotein that catalyzes a pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)-dependent condensation of serine and homocysteine into cystathionine. Biophysical characterization of this enzyme has led to the assignment of the heme ligands as histidine and cysteinate, respectively, which has recently been confirmed by crystal structure determination of the catalytic core of the protein. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we confirm that C52 and H65 represent the thiolate and histidine ligands to the heme. Conversion of C52 to alanine or serine results in spectral properties of the resulting hemeprotein that are consistent with the loss of a thiolate ligand. Thus, the Soret peak blue-shifts from 428 to 415 and 417 nm in the ferric forms of the C52S and C52A mutants, respectively, and from 450 to 423 nm in the ferrous states of both mutants. Addition of CO to the dithionite-reduced ferrous C52 mutants results in spectra with Soret peaks at 420 nm. EPR spectroscopy of the ferric C52 variants reveals the predominance of a high-spin species. The H65R mutant, a variant described in a homocystinuric patient, has Soret peaks at 424, 421, and 420 nm in the ferric, ferrous, and ferrous CO states, respectively. EPR spectroscopy reveals predominance of the low-spin species. Both C52A and C52S mutations lead to protein with substoichiometric heme (19% with respect to wild type); however, the PLP content is comparable to that of wild-type enzyme. The heme and PLP contents of the H65R mutant are 40% and 75% that of wild-type enzyme. These results indicate that heme saturation does not dictate PLP saturation in these mutant enzymes. Both H65 and C52 variants display low catalytic activity, revealing that changes in the heme binding domain modulate activity, consistent with a regulatory role for this cofactor.