Magnesium protoporphyrin IX methyltransferase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
This is a methylation reaction in which one of the two carboxylic acid groups in magnesium protoporphyrin is converted to a methyl ester. The methyl group comes from the cofactor, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), which becomes S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH).
This enzyme belongs to the family of transferases, specifically those transferring one-carbon group methyltransferases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is S-adenosyl-L-methionine:magnesium-protoporphyrin-IX O-methyltransferase. This enzyme is part of the biosynthetic pathway to chlorophylls.
See also Biosynthesis of chlorophylls
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