CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF HUMAN GAL-BETA-1,3(4)GLCNAC ALPHA-2,3-SIALYLTRANSFERASE

Here we report the cDNA sequence of human Galβ1,3(4)GlcNAc α2,3-sialyltransferase. The cDNA was isolated from a human placental cDNA library by screening with a 150bp probe generated by PCR using degenerate primers based on the sequences found in the sialyl motif. Comparative analylsis of this cDNA with the rat liver α2,3-sialyltransferase sequence indicates 91% nucleotide similarity between the two sequence in the predicted coding region. On the amino acid level, the degree of conservation is 97%. Surprisingly, Northern analysis indicated that the gene is expressed at low levels in human placenta but is abundantly expressed in skeletal muscle and fetal tissues. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved.