Description
This gene is a member of the glycosyltransferase 31 gene family. Members of this gene family, which also includes the MFNG (GeneID: 4242) and RFNG (GeneID: 5986) genes, encode evolutionarily conserved glycosyltransferases that act in the Notch signaling pathway to define boundaries during embryonic development. While their genomic structure is distinct from other glycosyltransferases, these proteins have a fucose-specific beta-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity that leads to elongation of O-linked fucose residues on Notch, which alters Notch signaling. The protein encoded by this gene is predicted to be a single-pass type II Golgi membrane protein but it may also be secreted and proteolytically processed like the related proteins in mouse and Drosophila (PMID: 9187150). Mutations in this gene have been associated with autosomal recessive spondylocostal dysostosis 3.