The protein encoded by this gene is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (along with glycine) to S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine and sarcosine. This protein is found in the cytoplasm and acts as a homotetramer. Defects in this gene are a cause of GNMT deficiency (hypermethioninemia). Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. Naturally occurring readthrough transcription occurs between the upstream CNPY3 (canopy FGF signaling regulator 3) gene and this gene and is represented with GeneID:107080644. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2016].