Aspartylglucosaminidase (AGA)

Aspartylglucosaminidase is an amidohydrolase enyzme involved in the catabolism of N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins. It cleaves asparagine from N-acetylglucosamines as one of the final steps in the lysosomal breakdown of glycoproteins. The lysosomal storage disease aspartylglycosaminuria is caused by a deficiency in the AGA enzyme.

Defects in AGA are the cause of aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU) . AGU is an inborn lysosomal storage disease. Clinical features of AGU include mild to severe mental retardation manifesting from the age of 2, coarse facial features and mild connective tissue abnormalities. This recessively inherited disease is overrepresented in the Finnish population.