InterPro domain: IPR024960

This family includes yeast phosphatidyl-N-methylethanolamine N-methyltransferase CHO1/OPI3 [ 1 ] and vertebrates phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferases [ 2 , 3 ]. In yeast, this enzyme catalyzes the second two steps of the methylation pathway of phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis, the SAM-dependent methylation of phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine (PMME) to phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine (PDME) and of PDME to PC. In vertebrates, it catalyzes the three sequential steps of the methylation pathway of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, the SAM-dependent methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) to phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine (PMME), PMME to phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine (PDME), and PDME to PC.

1. The Schizosaccharomyces pombe cho1+ gene encodes a phospholipid methyltransferase. Genetics 150, 553-62
2. Yeast phosphatidylethanolamine methylation pathway. Cloning and characterization of two distinct methyltransferase genes. J. Biol. Chem. 262, 15428-35
3. Structure, expression profile and alternative processing of the human phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) gene. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1532, 105-14