ST3GAL5 (ST3 Beta-Galactoside Alpha-2,3-Sialyltransferase 5)

Key enzyme in ganglioside biosynthesis; mutations cause Amish infantile epilepsy syndrome and related disorders.

Gene Information Card

Symbol ST3GAL5
Full Name ST3 beta-galactoside alpha-2,3-sialyltransferase 5
Gene Type protein coding
Chromosomal Location 2p11.2
NCBI Gene ID 8869 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/8869
Ensembl ID ENSG00000115525
UniProt ID Q9UNP4
OMIM ID 604402
HGNC ID 10864
Aliases SIAT9, GM3 synthase, SIATGM3S

Description

ST3GAL5 encodes a type II membrane protein that catalyzes the transfer of sialic acid from CMP-sialic acid to lactosylceramide, forming GM3 ganglioside. This is the first step in the biosynthesis of most complex gangliosides, which are essential for neuronal development and function. Mutations in this gene lead to GM3 synthase deficiency, resulting in severe neurological phenotypes.

Disease Associations

Disease category Pathophysiological mechanism Genomic evidence
Amish infantile epilepsy syndrome Loss-of-function mutations cause absence of GM3 synthase activity, leading to accumulation of lactosylceramide and deficiency of downstream gangliosides, disrupting neuronal signaling. OMIM #609056; multiple homozygous mutations identified in Amish population.
Salt-and-pepper syndrome Biallelic mutations in ST3GAL5 cause this autosomal recessive disorder characterized by intellectual disability, seizures, and distinctive skin pigmentation. ClinVar entries; case reports in non-Amish populations.
GM3 synthase deficiency Complete loss of enzyme activity due to homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations results in severe developmental delay, epilepsy, and blindness. UniProt and OMIM; functional assays confirm loss of sialyltransferase activity.

Expression Profile

Tissue Expression
Tissue nTPM level
Brain High Highest expression in brain, especially in neurons and glial cells.
Testis Moderate Detected in testicular tissue.
Kidney Low Low expression in kidney.
Liver Low Minimal expression in liver.
Cell Line Expression
Cell Line nTPM Notes
SH-SY5Y (neuroblastoma) High Neuronal cell line; used for ganglioside studies.
HeLa (cervical carcinoma) Low Low expression; not a primary site.
HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) Low Low expression; liver origin.
Data source:Human Protein Atlas(proteinatlas.org)

Mutations & Variants

Hotspot Mutations
Variant Type Frequency Functional Description
c.862C>T (p.Arg288Ter) Nonsense Rare Premature stop codon; loss of enzyme activity.
c.1042G>A (p.Gly348Arg) Missense Rare Amino acid substitution; reduced catalytic activity.
c.506T>C (p.Leu169Pro) Missense Rare Structural change; loss of function.
c.694C>T (p.Arg232Ter) Nonsense Rare Truncated protein; no activity.
Mutation functional classification

Loss of Function (LOF)

Most pathogenic mutations are loss-of-function, leading to complete or near-complete loss of GM3 synthase activity.

Gain of Function (GOF)

No gain-of-function mutations reported.

Dominant Negative (DN)

No dominant-negative effects documented; disease is autosomal recessive.

Gene Ontology (GO)

• sialyltransferase activity • ganglioside biosynthetic process
• Golgi membrane • alpha-2
• 3-sialyltransferase activity

Pathways

Ganglioside biosynthesis
Glycosphingolipid metabolism

Protein Summary

ST3GAL5 is a 418-amino acid type II membrane protein localized to the Golgi apparatus. It catalyzes the formation of GM3 ganglioside from lactosylceramide and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid. The protein has a short N-terminal cytoplasmic tail, a transmembrane domain, and a large C-terminal catalytic domain. It is critical for the synthesis of a- and b-series gangliosides, which are abundant in the nervous system.

Related Products

Product name Cat.No. Species Gene ID
ST3GAL5 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line EDJ-KQ3838 Human 8869 Details Get a Quote
ST3GAL5 Knockout A-549 Cell Line EDJ-KQ25994 Human 8869 Details Get a Quote
ST3GAL5 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line EDJ-KQ25995 Human 8869 Details Get a Quote
ST3GAL5 Knockout HeLa Cell Line EDJ-KQ25996 Human 8869 Details Get a Quote
Displaying Records 1 To 4 Of 4 Records
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