| Name | methyltransferase like 2A |
| Description | Enables tRNA (cytidine-3-)-methyltransferase activity. Involved in tRNA methylation. Located in cytoplasm. [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Mar 2025] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nMETTL2A is a methyltransferase that contributes to the formation of the 3‑methylcytidine (m3C) modification in RNA, specifically by targeting the anticodon loop of select tRNAs. In mammals, METTL2A, together with its homolog METTL2B, primarily modifies m3C at position 32 of tRNAThr isoacceptors (and also tRNAArg(CCU)), an activity that has been shown to reduce overall m3C levels in tRNA when disrupted."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nBiochemical reconstitution studies have further demonstrated METTL2A’s predominant catalytic activity for m3C32 formation in tRNAThr in vitro. Critical substrate determinants, such as the presence of G35 and t6A at position 37, are necessary for proper modification, a finding that distinguishes its substrate specificity from that of other methyltransferases such as METTL6, which targets tRNASer isoacceptors."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "2"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\nBeyond its function in RNA epitranscriptomics, elevated expression and amplification of METTL2A have been implicated in tumorigenesis, particularly in breast invasive carcinoma. Clinical data indicate that overexpression of METTL2A is associated with poor overall survival, potentially through pathways that drive DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. This highlights its emerging role not only as an essential modifier of tRNA but also as a potential oncogene and therapeutic target in cancer."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n"}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Luang Xu, Xinyu Liu, Na Sheng, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Three distinct 3-methylcytidine (m"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "sup"}], "href": "sup"}, {"type": "t", "text": "3"}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "/sup"}], "href": "/sup"}, {"type": "t", "text": "C) methyltransferases modify tRNA and mRNA in mice and humans."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Biol Chem (2017)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1074/jbc.M117.798298"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M117.798298"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "28655767"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28655767"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Xue-Ling Mao, Zi-Han Li, Meng-Han Huang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Mutually exclusive substrate selection strategy by human m3C RNA transferases METTL2A and METTL6."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nucleic Acids Res (2021)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1093/nar/gkab603"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkab603"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "34268557"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34268557"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Shuai Wang, Huiting Li, Jiheng Liu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Integrative analysis of m3C associated genes reveals METTL2A as a potential oncogene in breast Cancer."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Transl Med (2022)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1186/s12967-022-03683-2"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-022-03683-2"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "36266694"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36266694"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | METTL2 |
| Proteins | MET2A_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 339175 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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METTL2A has 3,899 functional associations with biological entities spanning 8 categories (molecular profile, organism, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 70 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for METTL2A from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Mouse Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Aging Dementia and Traumatic Brain Injury Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by RNA-seq dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the BioGPS Mouse Cell Type and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of METTL2A gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of METTL2A gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of METTL2A gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with METTL2A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of METTL2A gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with METTL2A gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| CTD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with METTL2A gene/protein from the curated CTD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action | small molecule perturbations with high or low expression of METTL2A protein relative to other small molecule perturbations from the DeepCoverMOA Drug Mechanisms of Action dataset. | |
| DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency | cell lines with fitness changed by METTL2A gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with METTL2A gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at METTL2A gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of METTL2A gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of METTL2A gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing METTL2A from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset. | |
| GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing METTL2A from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases | disease perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Diseases dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations | transcription factor perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Transcription Factor Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections | virus perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Viral Infections dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving METTL2A gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving METTL2A gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by METTL2A gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 | molecular functions performed by METTL2A gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2025 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the GTEx Tissue-Specific Aging Signatures dataset. | |
| GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 | phenotypes associated with METTL2A gene in GWAS datasets from the GWAS Catalog SNP-Phenotype Associations 2025 dataset. | |
| GWASdb SNP-Disease Associations | diseases associated with METTL2A gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with METTL2A gene in GWAS datasets from the GWASdb SNP-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other cell lines from the HPA Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the HPA Tissue Sample Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with METTL2A gene by text-mining GWAS publications from the HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for METTL2A protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets 2025 | transcription factors regulating expression of METTL2A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Human Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of METTL2A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Kinase Library Serine Threonine Kinome Atlas | kinases that phosphorylate METTL2A protein from the Kinase Library Serine Threonine Atlas dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of METTL2A gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with METTL2A gene mutations from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain METTL2A protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MiRTarBase microRNA Targets | microRNAs targeting METTL2A gene in low- or high-throughput microRNA targeting studies from the MiRTarBase microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of METTL2A gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box Gene Expression Profiles | drug perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the NIBR DRUG-seq U2OS MoA Box dataset. | |
| Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions | interacting proteins for METTL2A from the Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 | pathways involving METTL2A protein from the PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving METTL2A protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 K562 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 K562 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 K562 Genome-wide Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 K562 Genome-wide Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 RPE1 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the Replogle et al., Cell, 2022 RPE1 Essential Perturb-seq Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at METTL2A gene from the Roadmap Epigenomics Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of METTL2A gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of METTL2A gene predicted using conserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Conserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of METTL2A gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of METTL2A gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of METTL2A protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of METTL2A protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of METTL2A protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with METTL2A protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
