RNA Methylase & Demethylase Activity

RNA methyltransferase and demethylase activity assays for METTL and FTO enzymes

When you need to measure activity of METTL3, METTL14, METTL16 (writers) or FTO, ALKBH5 (erasers), this section covers the assays. Substrates are typically short RNA oligonucleotides with single-base or multi-base methylation; readouts include HPLC-MS, mass-shift detection, or fluorogenic substrates.

Pick by enzyme and readout.

1. Enzyme isoform. Match assay to your target enzyme. Different writers and erasers have different substrate preferences.
2. Substrate type. Short RNA oligonucleotides for kinetic studies. Long-RNA substrates for context-dependent activity.
3. Readout. LC-MS most quantitative but slow. Fluorogenic substrates fastest for inhibitor screening. Mass-shift for kinetic monitoring.
4. Drug screening. Confirm hits across multiple substrate contexts; some inhibitors are highly substrate-dependent.
5. Reference compounds. For known inhibitors as positive controls.

EpigenTek dominates m6A enzyme activity assay catalogue.