Alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase 8B is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ST8SIA2 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a type II membrane protein that is thought to catalyze the transfer of sialic acid from CMP-sialic acid to N-linked oligosaccharides and glycoproteins. The encoded protein may be found in the Golgi apparatus and may be involved in the production of polysialic acid, a modulator of the adhesive properties of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM1). This protein is a member of glycosyltransferase family 29. [provided by RefSeq]. Publication Note: This RefSeq record includes a subset of the publications that are available for this gene. Please see the Gene record to access additional publications.
May transfer sialic acid through alpha-2,8-linkages to the alpha-2,3-linked and alpha-2,6-linked sialic acid of N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins and may be involved in PSA (polysialic acid) expression.