N-6-Adenine Specific DNA Methyltransferase 1 (N6AMT1)

N6AMT1 belongs to the methyltransferase superfamily. Alternative splicing occurs at this locus and two transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been identified.

N6AMT1 was able to convert MMAIII to the less toxic dimethylarsonic acid (DMA) when overexpressed in UROtsa cells. The enhanced expression of N6AMT1 in UROtsa cells decreased cytotoxicity of both iAsIII and MMAIII. Moreover, N6AMT1 is expressed in many human tissues at variable levels, although lower than those of AS3MT, supporting a potential participation in arsenic metabolism in vivo.N6AMT1 has a significant role in determining susceptibility to arsenic toxicity and carcinogenicity due to its specific activity in methylating MMAIII to DMA, and other unknown mechanisms.