Reaction: S-adenosyl-L-methionine + cytosine38 in tRNA = S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine + 5-methylcytosine38 in tRNA
Other name(s): hDNMT2 (gene name); DNMT2 (gene name); TRDMT1 (gene name)
Systematic name: S-adenosyl-L-methionine:tRNA (cytosine38-C5)-methyltransferase
Comments: The eukaryotic enzyme catalyses methylation of cytosine38 in the anti-codon loop of tRNAAsp(GTC), tRNAVal(AAC) and tRNAGly(GCC). Methylation by Dnmt2 protects tRNAs against stress-induced cleavage by ribonuclease [3].
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, PDB, CAS registry number:
References:
1. Goll, M.G., Kirpekar, F., Maggert, K.A., Yoder, J.A., Hsieh, C.L., Zhang, X., Golic, K.G., Jacobsen, S.E. and Bestor, T.H. Methylation of tRNAAsp by the DNA methyltransferase homolog Dnmt2. Science 311 (2006) 395-398. [PMID: 16424344]
2. Jurkowski, T.P., Meusburger, M., Phalke, S., Helm, M., Nellen, W., Reuter, G. and Jeltsch, A. Human DNMT2 methylates tRNA(Asp) molecules using a DNA methyltransferase-like catalytic mechanism. RNA 14 (2008) 1663-1670. [PMID: 18567810]
3. Schaefer, M., Pollex, T., Hanna, K., Tuorto, F., Meusburger, M., Helm, M. and Lyko, F. RNA methylation by Dnmt2 protects transfer RNAs against stress-induced cleavage. Genes Dev. 24 (2010) 1590-1595. [PMID: 20679393]