α 1,3-fucosyltransferases

Abstract

Fucosylation has been shown to have important functions in cell-cell interaction and cell migration in connection with physiological and pathological processes such as fertilization, embryogenesis, lymphocyte trafficking, immune responses and cancer metastasis. The human genome encodes at least five different α1,3-fucosyltransferases. Several other enzymes transfering fucose in α1,3-linkage, or the structures resulting from them, have been found in nearly all types of organism such as other mammals, insects, molluscs, plants and some bacteria. They differ in their substrate specificity, tissue distribution and various biochemical parameters. A short overview about these enzymes, their occurrence and probable function is given here.