Fucosyltransferase 7 (FUT7)

The sialyl Lewis x oligosaccharide determinant is an essential component of leukocyte counterreceptors for E-selectin and P-selectin mediated adhesions of leukocytes. This oligosaccharide molecule is displayed on the surfaces of granulocytes, monocytes, and natural killer cells. Formation of leukocyte adhesions to these selectins is an early and important step in the process that ultimately allows leukocytes to leave the vascular tree and become recruited into lymphoid tissues and sites of inflammation. FUT7 was expressed in HL-60 cells, a human promyelocytic cell line, and in YT cells, a natural killer-like cell line. Sequence comparisons indicate that the predicted polypeptide sequence shares approximately 38 to 47% overall identity with other FUTs.