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Official Full Name: beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase 3
Also known as: beta4Gal-T3
This gene is one of seven beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase (beta4GalT) genes. They encode type II membrane-bound glycoproteins that appear to have exclusive specificity for the donor substrate UDP-galactose; all galactose are transferred in a β1,4 bond to similar acceptor sugars: GlcNAc, Glc and Xyl. Each β-4galt has a different function in the biosynthesis of different glycoconjugates and sugar structures. As type II membrane proteins, they have an N-terminal hydrophobic signal sequence that directs the protein to the Golgi apparatus, where it remains uncleaved and serves as a transmembrane anchor. According to sequence similarity, beta4GalTs are divided into four groups: beta4GalT1 and beta4GalT2, beta4GalT3 and beta4GalT4, beta4GalT5 and beta4GalT6, beta4GalT7. This gene encodes an enzyme that may be mainly involved in the synthesis of the first N-acetyllactamine unit of the poly-N-acetyllactamine chain. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene encoding the same protein have been found.