protein methylation

The transfer of one-carbon methyl groups to nitrogen or oxygen (N- and O-methylation, respectively) to amino acid side chains increases the hydrophobicity of the protein and can neutralize a negative amino acid charge when bound to carboxylic acids. Methylation is mediated by methyltransferases, and S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) is the primary methyl group donor. Methylation occurs so often that SAM has been suggested to be the most-used substrate in enzymatic reactions afterATP. Additionally, while N-methylation is irreversible, O-methylation is potentially reversible.