Sialyltransferase 8F (SIAT8F)

Sialic acid is a key determinate of oligosaccharide structures involved in cell-cell communication, cell-substrate interaction, adhesion, and protein targeting. ST8SIA6 belongs to a family of sialyltransferases (EC 2.4.99.8) that synthesize sialylglycoconjugates .

The enzyme formed NeuAc-alpha-2,8-NeuAc structures, but not oligosialic or polysialic acid structures. Analysis of fetuin (AHSG) sialylated by St8sia6 indicated that St8sia6 preferred O-glycans to N-glycans as acceptor substrates, and it preferred O-glycans to glycolipids. St8sia6 also used oligosaccharides such as sialyllactose and sialyllactosamine. The structure of the minimal acceptor substrate for St8sia6 was NeuAc-alpha-2,3(6)-Gal.