Alpha-N-acetylneuraminate alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase

In enzymology, an alpha-N-acetylneuraminate alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * CMP-N-acetylneuraminate + alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,3-beta-D-galactosyl-R $$\rightleftharpoons$$ CMP + alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,8-alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,3-beta-D- galactosyl-R

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are CMP-N-acetylneuraminate and alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,3-beta-D-galactosyl-R, whereas its 3 products are CMP, alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,8-alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,3-beta-D-, and galactosyl-R.

This enzyme belongs to the family of transferases, specifically those glycosyltransferases that do not transfer hexosyl or pentosyl groups. The systematic name of this enzyme class is CMP-N-acetylneuraminate:alpha-N-acetylneuraminyl-2,3-beta-D-galactos ide alpha-2,8-N-acetylneuraminyltransferase. Other names in common use include cytidine monophosphoacetylneuraminate-ganglioside GM3, alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase, ganglioside GD3 synthase, ganglioside GD3 synthetase sialyltransferase, CMP-NeuAc:LM1(alpha2-8) sialyltranferase, GD3 synthase, and SAT-2. This enzyme participates in 4 metabolic pathways: glycosphingolipid biosynthesis - neo-lactoseries, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis - globoseries, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis - ganglioseries, and glycan structures - biosynthesis 2.