Transferases;
Transferring one-carbon groups;
Methyltransferases
BRITE hierarchy

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

2 S-adenosyl-L-methionine + sarcosine = 2 S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + betaine (overall reaction) [RN:R10061];
(1a) S-adenosyl-L-methionine + sarcosine = S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + N,N-dimethylglycine [RN:R07243];
(1b) S-adenosyl-L-methionine + N,N-dimethylglycine = S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + betaine [RN:R07244]

R07243 R07244 R10061
Reaction

S-adenosyl-L-methionine [CPD:C00019];
sarcosine [CPD:C00213];
N,N-dimethylglycine [CPD:C01026]

Cells of the oxygen-evolving halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanocthece halophytica synthesize betaine from glycine by a three-step methylation process. The first enzyme, EC 2.1.1.156, glycine/sarcosine N-methyltransferase, 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 this enzyme. Both of these enzymes can catalyse the formation of N,N-dimethylglycine from sarcosine [3]. The reactions are strongly inhibited by S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine.

EC 2.1.1.157 created 2005, modified 2010

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:AAF87203 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:AAF87203]

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:BAC56940]