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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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NMT2
N-myristoyltransferase 2
Chromosome 10 · 10p13
NCBI Gene: 9397Ensembl: ENSG00000152465.18HGNC: HGNC:7858UniProt: B3KT39
77PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
glycylpeptide N-tetradecanoyltransferase activityprotein bindingpeptidyl-lysine N6-myristoyltransferase activityN-terminal peptidyl-glycine N-myristoylationHIV infectionalcohol drinkingAlzheimer diseaseneurodegenerative disease
✦AI Summary

NMT2 (N-myristoyltransferase 2) is a ubiquitously expressed enzyme that catalyzes the addition of myristic acid to N-terminal glycine residues of nascent proteins 1, and can also mediate N-terminal lysine myristoylation as demonstrated with ARF6 substrate 2. This lipid modification is essential for membrane targeting and protein function. Mechanistically, NMT2 couples to protein synthesis through interaction with the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC), which mediates NMT2 binding to translating ribosomes and orients the enzyme for co-translational myristoylation 3. NMT2 activity is regulated by NADPH, which upregulates myristoylation of ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1), strengthening cellular resistance to ferroptosis in neurons 4. Clinically, NMT2 dysregulation is significant in cancer: epigenetic suppression of NMT2 in hematologic malignancies renders cells dependent on NMT1, making them vulnerable to NMT inhibitors that selectively target mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation 5. Conversely, low NMT2 expression associates with poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer, where NMT1/NMT2 function as tumor suppressors 6. Additionally, NMT2 is required for mammarenavirus replication, as the Z matrix protein and signal peptide depend on myristoylation for viral budding and entry; NMT inhibitors demonstrate broad-spectrum antiviral activity against Lassa and other hemorrhagic fever viruses 78.

Sources cited
1
NMT2 catalyzes transfer of myristic acid to N-terminal glycine residues of proteins
PMID: 9506952
2
NMT2 mediates N-terminal lysine myristoylation of ARF6, required for membrane localization during GTPase cycle
PMID: 32103017
3
NAC mediates binding of NMT2 to ribosomes for co-translational myristoylation of nascent chains
PMID: 40859030
4
NADPH interacts with NMT2 to upregulate FSP1 myristoylation and suppress ferroptosis in neurons
PMID: 38705094
5
NMT2 is epigenetically suppressed in hematologic malignancies, making cells vulnerable to NMT inhibitors that target oxidative phosphorylation
PMID: 38715059
6
NMT2 acts as tumor suppressor in non-small cell lung cancer; low expression associates with poor prognosis
PMID: 35930829
7
NMT2 myristoylates mammarenavirus Z matrix protein required for viral budding; NMT inhibitors prevent myristoylation and viral replication
PMID: 39625987
8
NMT2 myristoylates mammarenavirus signal peptide required for virus entry; NMT inhibitors show antiviral activity against Lassa and Junin viruses
PMID: 39339839
Disease Associationsⓘ20
HIV infectionOpen Targets
0.37Weak
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.30Weak
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.24Weak
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.24Weak
lysosomal storage diseaseOpen Targets
0.24Weak
multiple sclerosisOpen Targets
0.24Weak
Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.24Weak
food allergyOpen Targets
0.15Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.08Suggestive
age-related macular degenerationOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
X-linked retinal dysplasiaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Familial exudative vitreoretinopathyOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
heart diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
heart failureOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
inborn disorder of amino acid metabolismOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
retinitis pigmentosaOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
obesityOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Stargardt diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
ACBD6Protein interaction92%GNAT1Protein interaction75%PRPS2Protein interaction73%NMT1Shared pathway67%TM9SF3Shared pathway50%TM9SF1Shared pathway50%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
100%
Brain
85%
Ovary
75%
Heart
67%
Lung
33%
Bone Marrow
33%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
NMT2ACBD6GNAT1PRPS2NMT1TM9SF3TM9SF1
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB6PAU · 1.93 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.74LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.53 [0.39–0.74]
RankingsWhere NMT2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #6,188of 20,598
    Most Researched77
  • #5,771of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.74
Genes detectedNMT2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Regulation of FSP1 myristoylation by NADPH: A novel mechanism for ferroptosis inhibition.
PMID: 38705094
Redox Biol · 2024
1.00
2
Multiomics analysis identifies oxidative phosphorylation as a cancer vulnerability arising from myristoylation inhibition.
PMID: 38715059
J Transl Med · 2024
0.90
3
NAC couples protein synthesis with nascent polypeptide myristoylation on the ribosome.
PMID: 40859030
EMBO J · 2025
0.80
4
N-mytistoyltransferase 1 and 2 are potential tumor suppressors and novel targets of miR-182 in human non-small cell lung carcinomas.
PMID: 35930829
Lung Cancer · 2022
0.70
5
Targeting n-myristoyltransferases promotes a pan-Mammarenavirus inhibition through the degradation of the Z matrix protein.
PMID: 39625987
PLoS Pathog · 2024
0.60