Biological methylation of myelin basic protein: enzymology and biological significance.
Myelin is a membrane characteristic of the nervous tissue and functions as an insulator to increase the velocity of the stimuli being transmitted between a nerve cell body and its target. Myelin isolated from human and bovine nervous tissue is composed of approximately 80% lipid and 20% protein, and 30% of the protein fraction constitutes myelin basic protein (MBP). MBP has an unusual amino acid at Res-107 as a mixture of NG-monomethylarginine and NG, N'G-dimethylarginine. The formation of these methylarginine derivatives is catalysed by one of the subtypes of protein methylase I, which specifically methylates Res-107 of this protein. Evidence is presented to demonstrate an involvement of this biological methylation in the integrity and maintenance of myelin.
Kim
S
S
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Lim
I K
IK
Park
G H
GH
Paik
W K
WK
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology; D011484:Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism
D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D011484:Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases