MAT2A

MAT2A, methionine adenosyltransferase 2A, alias AdoMet synthase 2, Methionine adenosyltransferase 2, S-adenosylmethionine synthase isoform type-2, and so on. It is a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of methionine to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) in the human body.SAM is the most important intracellular methyl donor and is involved in the methylation of a wide range of biomolecules.MAT2A is encoded by a gene in the human cell itself, and is expressed in a wide range of tissues, with a particularly high level of expression in testicular tissue. Its mechanism of action involves the use of ATP and methionine as substrates to generate SAM by transferring a phosphoadenosine moiety to methionine, a process that is essential for maintaining intracellular methylation levels.

MAT2A has a wide range of biological significance, as it is not only involved in the one-carbon unit metabolism and the transsulfuration pathway, but it is also tightly linked to the folate cycle. As a key cofactor in methylation reactions, MAT2A has an important effect on methylation modifications of DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids that are essential for processes such as regulation of gene expression, cell signaling, cell proliferation and differentiation.Aberrant function of MAT2A has been associated with a wide range of disorders, including certain types of cancers, such as in gliomas with the H3K27M mutation. MAT2A activity is closely associated with tumor growth and survival. Thus, MAT2A not only plays a central role in cellular physiological processes, but is also a potential target in drug development and disease treatment.