Molecular Function
methylation Audio
meth·yl·a·tion [ meth-uh-ley-shuhn ]
Subclass of:
Alkylation
Definitions related to methylation:
  • A chemical reaction in which a small molecule called a methyl group is added to other molecules. Methylation of proteins or nucleic acids may affect how they act in the body.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed)
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • Replacing an atom, usually a hydrogen atom, with a methyl group.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • The covalent chemical or biochemical addition of a methyl group(s) to a compound. (NCI)
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • The process in which a methyl group is covalently attached to a molecule.
    Gene Ontology Dictionary
    Gene Ontology Consortium, 2021
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.