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7 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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METTL2B
methyltransferase 2B, tRNA N3-cytidine
Chromosome 7 · 7q32.1
NCBI Gene: 55798Ensembl: ENSG00000165055.17HGNC: HGNC:18272UniProt: Q6P1Q9
30PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
protein bindingtRNA metabolic processtRNA methylationcytoplasmself-injurious ideationPrecordial painsystemic sclerodermaneoplasm
✦AI Summary

METTL2B is an S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methyltransferase that catalyzes N(3)-methylcytidine (m3C) modification at position 32 of the anticodon loop, primarily targeting tRNA(Thr)(UGU) and tRNA(Arg)(CCU) 1. This modification is part of the broader tRNA methylation pathway essential for proper tRNA function 1. METTL2B operates within a multi-enzyme system alongside METTL2A and METTL6, which employ mutually exclusive substrate selection mechanisms to ensure specificity among different tRNA species 1. Beyond its canonical tRNA modification role, METTL2B has emerged as a disease-relevant gene implicated in neurodegeneration and cancer. It was identified as a network gene potentially linking Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis in Down Syndrome through connections with APP processing and tau post-translational modification 2. In cancer biology, METTL2B is recognized as a prognostic biomarker and potential oncogene: it was incorporated into RNA processing-related prognostic signatures for gastric cancer 3, identified in mitochondrial RNA modification signatures for lower grade glioma prognosis 4, and demonstrated elevated expression in ovarian cancer where METTL2B knockdown suppressed oncogenic behaviors by inhibiting the mTOR/AKT signaling pathway 5. METTL2B's expression correlates negatively with immune cell infiltration in tumors, suggesting complex roles in tumor immunobiology 5.

Sources cited
1
METTL2B is an m3C methyltransferase acting on tRNA(Thr) and tRNA(Arg) at position C32, operating through mutually exclusive substrate selection with METTL2A and METTL6
PMID: 34268557
2
METTL2B identified as network gene potentially linking Alzheimer's disease and Down Syndrome through APP processing and tau modification pathways
PMID: 33633844
3
METTL2B is a component of a 10-gene RNA processing-related prognostic signature for gastric cancer prognosis
PMID: 34413861
4
METTL2B is a mitochondrial RNA modification-related gene extensively expressed across cell types in lower grade glioma microenvironment
PMID: 38824202
5
METTL2B is upregulated in ovarian cancer; its knockdown suppresses oncogenic behaviors via mTOR/AKT pathway inhibition and shows negative correlation with immune cell infiltration
PMID: 39592997
6
METTL2B expression is down-regulated in blood eosinophils after methacholine challenge in asthmatics
PMID: 26217105
Disease Associationsⓘ20
self-injurious ideationOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Precordial painOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
systemic sclerodermaOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
poisoningOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
response to antibioticOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
ovarian cancerOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
infectionOpen Targets
0.01Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
cutaneous melanomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
glioblastomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
glioblastoma multiformeOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
gliomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
microphthalmia with limb anomaliesOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
ovarian serous cystadenocarcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
retinoblastomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
uterine corpus endometrial carcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
hepatocellular carcinomaOpen Targets
0.00Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
PSEN2Protein interaction79%PSEN1Protein interaction78%METTL25Protein interaction76%METTL2AShared pathway53%THUMPD3Shared pathway50%TRMOShared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Liver
77%
Heart
71%
Ovary
56%
Lung
50%
Bone Marrow
26%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
METTL2BPSEN2PSEN1METTL25METTL2ATHUMPD3TRMO
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q6P1Q9
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.79LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.57 [0.42–0.79]
RankingsWhere METTL2B stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #11,964of 20,598
    Most Researched30
  • #6,546of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.79
Genes detectedMETTL2B
Sources retrieved7 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
7▼
1
Common genetic signatures of Alzheimer's disease in Down Syndrome.
PMID: 33633844
F1000Res · 2020
1.00
2
Mitochondrial RNA modification-based signature to predict prognosis of lower grade glioma: a multi-omics exploration and verification study.
PMID: 38824202
Sci Rep · 2024
0.86
3
Mutually exclusive substrate selection strategy by human m3C RNA transferases METTL2A and METTL6.
PMID: 34268557
Nucleic Acids Res · 2021
0.71
4
Comprehensive Characterization of RNA Processing Factors in Gastric Cancer Identifies a Prognostic Signature for Predicting Clinical Outcomes and Therapeutic Responses.
PMID: 34413861
Front Immunol · 2021
0.57
5
Transcriptional Changes of Blood Eosinophils After Methacholine Inhalation Challenge in Asthmatics.
PMID: 26217105
Genomics Insights · 2012
0.43