Glycine/sarcosine N-methyltransferase explained

Glycine/sarcosine N-methyltransferase
Ec Number:	2.1.1.156
Cas Number:	294210-82-5

Glycine/sarcosine N-methyltransferase (ApGSMT, glycine-sarcosine methyltransferase, GSMT, GMT, glycine sarcosine N-methyltransferase, S-adenosyl-L-methionine:sarcosine N-methyltransferase) is an enzyme with systematic name S-adenosyl-L-methionine:glycine(or sarcosine) N-methyltransferase (sarcosine(or N,N-dimethylglycine)-forming).^{[1] [2] [3]} This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

\rightleftharpoons 2 S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + N,N-dimethylglycine (overall reaction)

(1a) S-adenosyl-L-methionine + glycine

\rightleftharpoons S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + sarcosine

(1b) S-adenosyl-L-methionine + sarcosine

\rightleftharpoons S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + N,N-dimethylglycine

This enzyme participates in biosynthesis of betaine from glycine in cyanobacterium Aphanocthece halophytica.

Notes and References

1. Nyyssola A, Kerovuo J, Kaukinen P, von Weymarn N, Reinikainen T . Extreme halophiles synthesize betaine from glycine by methylation . The Journal of Biological Chemistry . 275 . 29 . 22196–201 . July 2000 . 10896953 . 10.1074/jbc.M910111199 . free .
2. Nyyssölä A, Reinikainen T, Leisola M . Characterization of glycine sarcosine N-methyltransferase and sarcosine dimethylglycine N-methyltransferase . Applied and Environmental Microbiology . 67 . 5 . 2044–50 . May 2001 . 11319079 . 92834 . 10.1128/AEM.67.5.2044-2050.2001 .
3. Waditee R, Tanaka Y, Aoki K, Hibino T, Jikuya H, Takano J, Takabe T, Takabe T . Isolation and functional characterization of N-methyltransferases that catalyze betaine synthesis from glycine in a halotolerant photosynthetic organism Aphanothece halophytica . The Journal of Biological Chemistry . 278 . 7 . 4932–42 . February 2003 . 12466265 . 10.1074/jbc.M210970200 . free .