biology

Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase

Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase rather than just read about it. In short: In enzymology, a glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.68) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction GDP-L-fucose + N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N- acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D- mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D- glucosaminyl}asparagine ⇌ {\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons } GDP + N4-{N-ace…

Key takeaways

Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In enzymology, a glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.68) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

GDP-L-fucose + N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N- acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D- mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D- glucosaminyl}asparagine ⇌ {\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons } GDP + N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N- acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D- mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-[alpha-L- fucosyl-(1->6)]-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl}asparagine The 2 substrates of this enzyme are GDP-L-fucose and N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D-mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl}asparagine, and its 2 products are GDP and N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D-mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-[alpha-L-fucosyl-(1->6)]-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl}asparagine. This enzyme belongs to the family of glycosyltransferases, specifically the hexosyltransferases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is GDP-L-fucose:glycoprotein (L-fucose to asparagine-linked N-acetylglucosamine of N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N-a cetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D-man nosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glu cosaminyl}asparagine) 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase. Other names in common use include GDP-fucose-glycoprotein fucosyltransferase, GDP-L-Fuc:N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide alpha1->6fucosyltransferase, GDP-L-fucose-glycoprotein fucosyltransferase, glycoprotein fucosyltransferase, guanosine diphosphofucose-glycoprotein fucosyltransferase, GDP-L-fucose:glycoprotein (L-fucose to asparagine-linked, N-acetylglucosamine of, 4-N-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N-, acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D-, mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-beta-D-, glucosaminyl}asparagine) 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase, and FucT. This enzyme participates in 3 metabolic pathways: n-glycan biosynthesis, keratan sulfate biosynthesis, and glycan structures - biosynthesis 1.

Structural studies As of late 2007, 3 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes PDB: 2DE0, PDB: 2HHC, and PDB: 2HLH.

References

Longmore GD, Schachter H (1982). "Product-identification and substrate-specificity studies of the GDP-L-fucose:2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucoside (FUC goes to Asn-linked GlcNAc) 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase in a Golgi-rich fraction from porcine liver". Carbohydr. Res. 100: 365–92. doi:10.1016/S0008-6215(00)81049-6. PMID 7083256. Voynow JA, Scanlin TF, Glick MC (1988). "A quantitative method for GDP-L-Fuc:N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide alpha 1--6fucosyltransferase activity with lectin affinity chromatography". Anal. Biochem. 168 (2): 367–73. doi:10.1016/0003-2697(88)90331-4. PMID 3364733. Teshima T, Fujii S, Shiba T, Taniguchi N (1996). "Purification and cDNA cloning of porcine brain GDP-L-Fuc:N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide alpha1-->6fucosyltransferase". J. Biol. Chem. 271 (44): 27810–7. doi:10.1074/jbc.271.44.27810. PMID 8910378.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase

In research: Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics EC 2.4.1, EC 2.4 stubs, Enzymes of known structure, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase in simple terms?

In enzymology, a glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.68) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction GDP-L-fucose + N4-{N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->3)-[N- acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl-(1->2)-alpha-D-mannosyl-(1->6)]-beta-D- mannosyl-(1->4)-N-acetyl-b…

Why does Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Glycoprotein 6-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase.