Target Information

Histo-blood group ABO system transferase (NAGAT) is a member of the glycosyltransferase 6 family of proteins and the basis of the ABO blood group system. The histo-blood group ABO involves three carbohydrate antigens: A, B and H; the NAGAT protein functions as the basis of this group. A, B and AB individuals express a glycosyltransferase activity converting the H antigen to the A antigen (by addition of UDP-GalNAc) or to the B antigen (by addition of UDP-Gal), while O individuals do not express this glycosyltransferase activity. The B phenotype of NAGAT differs from the A form by a few residue substitutions, whereas the O form is a result of a single base frame-shift deletion in the N-terminal extremity of the gene. The NAGAT protein localizes to the Golgi apparatus and its conserved DXD motif functions in cofactor binding.