转录、RNA 剪接、RNA 翻译和翻译后蛋白质修饰是基因表达的基本过程。表观遗传修饰，例如 DNA 甲基化、RNA 修饰和蛋白质修饰，在调节基因表达中发挥着至关重要的作用。类甲基转移酶蛋白 (METTL) 家族是 7-β-链 (7BS) 甲基转移酶亚家族的组成部分，广泛分布在细胞核、细胞质和线粒体中。 METTL家族的成员通过其S-腺苷甲硫氨酸（SAM）结合域，可以将甲基转移到DNA、RNA或蛋白质上，从而影响DNA复制、转录和mRNA翻译等过程，参与维持正常功能或促进疾病发展。本综述主要探讨 METTL 家族在正常细胞分化、线粒体功能维持及其与肿瘤形成、神经系统和心血管疾病的关系中的参与。值得注意的是，METTL 家族与细胞翻译有着错综复杂的联系，特别是在其对翻译因子的调节方面。成员代表疾病发展过程中的重要分子，与患者的免疫力和对放疗和化疗的耐受性相关。此外，未来的研究方向可能包括开发针对其结构域的药物或抗体，以及利用纳米材料携带与METTL家族mRNA相对应的miRNA。此外，METTL 家族和细胞翻译因子之间相互作用的精确机制仍有待阐明。© 2024。作者。

Transcription, RNA splicing, RNA translation, and post-translational protein modification are fundamental processes of gene expression. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, RNA modifications, and protein modifications, play a crucial role in regulating gene expression. The methyltransferase-like protein (METTL) family, a constituent of the 7-β-strand (7BS) methyltransferase subfamily, is broadly distributed across the cell nucleus, cytoplasm, and mitochondria. Members of the METTL family, through their S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) binding domain, can transfer methyl groups to DNA, RNA, or proteins, thereby impacting processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and mRNA translation, to participate in the maintenance of normal function or promote disease development. This review primarily examines the involvement of the METTL family in normal cell differentiation, the maintenance of mitochondrial function, and its association with tumor formation, the nervous system, and cardiovascular diseases. Notably, the METTL family is intricately linked to cellular translation, particularly in its regulation of translation factors. Members represent important molecules in disease development processes and are associated with patient immunity and tolerance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Moreover, future research directions could include the development of drugs or antibodies targeting its structural domains, and utilizing nanomaterials to carry miRNA corresponding to METTL family mRNA. Additionally, the precise mechanisms underlying the interactions between the METTL family and cellular translation factors remain to be clarified.© 2024. The Author(s).