Glycosyltransferase family A (GT-A) includes diverse families of glycosyl transferases with a common GT-A type structural fold. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are enzymes that synthesize oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and glycoconjugates by transferring the sugar moiety from an activated nucleotide-sugar donor to an acceptor molecule, which may be a growing oligosaccharide, a lipid, or a protein. Based on the stereochemistry of the donor and acceptor molecules, GTs are classified as either retaining or inverting enzymes. To date, all GT structures adopt one of two possible folds, termed GT-A fold and GT-B fold. This hierarchy includes diverse families of glycosyl transferases with a common GT-A type structural fold, which has two tightly associated beta/alpha/beta domains that tend to form a continuous central sheet of at least eight beta-strands. The majority of the proteins in this superfamily are Glycosyltransferase family 2 (GT-2) proteins. But it also includes families GT-43, GT-6, GT-8, GT13 and GT-7; which are evolutionarily related to GT-2 and share structure similarities.
UDP-glucose LOS-beta-1,4 glucosyltransferase is required for biosynthesis of lipooligosaccharide. UDP-glucose: lipooligosaccharide (LOS) beta-1-4-glucosyltransferase catalyzes the addition of the first residue, glucose, of the lacto-N-neotetrase structure to HepI of the LOS inner core. LOS is the major constituent of the outer leaflet of the outer membrane of gram-positive bacteria. It consists of a short oligosaccharide chain of variable composition (alpha chain) attached to a branched inner core which is lined in turn to lipid A. Beta 1,4 glucosyltransferase is required to attach the alpha chain to the inner core.
Glycosyl transferase family 2. Diverse family, transferring sugar from UDP-glucose, UDP-N-acetyl- galactosamine, GDP-mannose or CDP-abequose, to a range of substrates including cellulose, dolichol phosphate and teichoic acids.
Glycosyltransferase family 92. Members of this family act as galactosyltransferases, belonging to glycosyltransferase family 92. The aligned region contains several conserved cysteine residues and several charged residues that may be catalytic residues. This is supported by the inclusion of this family in the GT-A glycosyl transferase superfamily.