Transferases;
Transferring one-carbon groups;
Methyltransferases
BRITE hierarchy

S-adenosyl-L-methionine:glycine(or sarcosine) N-methyltransferase [sarcosine(or N,N-dimethylglycine)-forming]

2 S-adenosyl-L-methionine + glycine = 2 S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + N,N-dimethylglycine (overall reaction) [RN:R10060];
(1a) S-adenosyl-L-methionine + glycine = S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + sarcosine [RN:R00367];
(1b) S-adenosyl-L-methionine + sarcosine = S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + N,N-dimethylglycine [RN:R07243]

R00367 R07243 R10060
Reaction

S-adenosyl-L-methionine [CPD:C00019];
glycine [CPD:C00037];
sarcosine [CPD:C00213]

Cells of the oxygen-evolving halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanocthece halophytica synthesize betaine from glycine by a three-step methylation process. This is the first enzyme and it leads to the formation of either sarcosine or N,N-dimethylglycine, which is further methylated to yield betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) by the action of EC 2.1.1.157, sarcosine/dimethylglycine N-methyltransferase. Differs from EC 2.1.1.20, glycine N-methyltransferase, as it can further methylate the product of the first reaction. Acetate, dimethylglycine and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine can inhibit the reaction [3].

EC 2.1.1.156 created 2005

1  [PMID:10896953]

Nyyssola A, Kerovuo J, Kaukinen P, von Weymarn N, Reinikainen T

Extreme halophiles synthesize betaine from glycine by methylation.

J Biol Chem 275:22196-201 (2000)
DOI:10.1074/jbc.M910111199

[ag:AAF87202 AAF87204]

2  [PMID:11319079]

Nyyssola A, Reinikainen T, Leisola M

Characterization of glycine sarcosine N-methyltransferase and sarcosine dimethylglycine N-methyltransferase.

Appl Environ Microbiol 67:2044-50 (2001)
DOI:10.1128/AEM.67.5.2044-2050.2001

[ag:AAF87202]

3  [PMID:12466265]

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.

J Biol Chem 278:4932-42 (2003)
DOI:10.1074/jbc.M210970200

[ag:BAC56939]