This entry describes a group of metazoan enzymes that catalyse two successive methylations of lysine36 of histone H3 (H3K36), forming mono- and dimethylated forms. These modifications influence the binding of chromatin-associated proteins. The product can be further methylated to the trimethyl form by EC 2.1.1.358, [histone H3]-dimethyl-L-lysine36 N-methyltransferase. The yeast SET2 enzyme can catalyse all three methylations (see EC 2.1.1.359, [histone H3]-lysine36 N-trimethyltransferase).