catechol O-methyltransferase

cat·e·chol O-meth·yl·trans·fer·ase

a transferase that catalyzes the methylation of the hydroxyl group at the 3 position of the aromatic ring of catechols, including the catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine (thus, converting to normetanephrine and metanephrine, respectively), the methyl group coming from S-adenosyl-l-methionine. An important step in the catabolism of the catecholamines.