High impact information on FUT4

• The domain structure and predicted amino acid sequence are highly conserved between CFT1 and mammalian FucTIV genes (52.8% and 46.3% identity to mouse and human respectively) [1].
• CFT1 is characterized by a single long open reading frame of 356 amino acids encoding a type II transmembrane glycoprotein [1].
• CFT1 gene expression is tissue-specific and includes embryonic thymus and bursa [1].
• Furthermore, expression of the CFT1 gene and cell surface LewisX structures are closely linked during B cell development [1].
• In vitro CFT1 fucosyltransferase activity utilizes LacNAc > 3'sialyl-LacNAc acceptors with almost no utilization of other neutral type II (lactose, 2-fucosyllactose), or type I (lacto-N-biose I) acceptors [1].

Biological context of FUT4

• Addition of sialic acid and fucose catalyzed by alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase and alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase provided the dimeric SLex, which was shown to be as active as monomeric SLex as an inhibitor of E-selectin with IC50 0.75 mM [2].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of FUT4

• Molecular cloning and characterization of CFT1, a developmentally regulated avian alpha(1,3)-fucosyltransferase gene [1].

References