The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the glucuronyltransferase gene family. These enzymes exhibit strict acceptor specificity, recognizing nonreducing terminal sugars and their anomeric linkages. This gene product functions as the key enzyme in a glucuronyl transfer reaction during the biosynthesis of the carbohydrate epitope HNK-1 (human natural killer-1, also known as CD57 and LEU7). Alternate transcriptional splice variants have been characterized. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008],catalytic activity:UDP-glucuronate + 3-beta-D-galactosyl-4-beta-D-galactosyl-O-beta-D-xylosylprotein = UDP + 3-beta-D-glucuronosyl-3-beta-D-galactosyl-4-beta-D-galactosyl-O-beta-D-xylosylprotein.,cofactor:Manganese.,function:Involved in the biosynthesis of L2/HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope on glycoproteins. Can also play a role in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. Substrates include asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR), asialo-fetuin, and asialo-neural cell adhesion molecule. Requires sphingomyelin for activity: stearoyl-sphingomyelin was the most effective, followed by palmitoyl-sphingomyelin and lignoceroyl-sphingomyelin. Activity was demonstrated only for sphingomyelin with a saturated fatty acid and not for that with an unsaturated fatty acid, regardless of the length of the acyl group.,online information:GlycoGene database,pathway:Protein modification, protein glycosylation.,similarity:Belongs to the glycosyltransferase 43 family.,subunit:Homodimer .,tissue specificity:Mainly expressed in the brain.,
