Guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase

In enzymology, a guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * S-adenosyl-L-methionine + guanidinoacetate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + creatine

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are S-adenosyl methionine and guanidinoacetate, whereas its two products are S-adenosylhomocysteine and creatine.

This enzyme belongs to the family of transferases, specifically those transferring one-carbon group methyltransferases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is S-adenosyl-L-methionine:N-guanidinoacetate methyltransferase. Other names in common use include GA methylpherase, guanidinoacetate methyltransferase, guanidinoacetate transmethylase, methionine-guanidinoacetic transmethylase, and guanidoacetate methyltransferase. This enzyme participates in glycine, serine and threonine metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 7 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , and.