Recombinant Human Ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) Protein

Function

Participates in the initial step of the glucosylceramide-based glycosphingolipid/GSL synthetic pathway at the cytosolic surface of the Golgi (PubMed:1532799, PubMed:8643456). Catalyzes the transfer of glucose from UDP-glucose to ceramide to produce glucosylceramide/GlcCer (such as beta-D-glucosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine) (PubMed:1532799, PubMed:8643456). GlcCer is the core component of glycosphingolipids/GSLs, amphipathic molecules consisting of a ceramide lipid moiety embedded in the outer leaflet of the membrane, linked to one of hundreds of different externally oriented oligosaccharide structures (PubMed:8643456). Glycosphingolipids are essential components of membrane microdomains that mediate membrane trafficking and signal transduction, implicated in many fundamental cellular processes, including growth, differentiation, migration, morphogenesis, cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions (By similarity). They are required for instance in the proper development and functioning of the nervous system (By similarity). As an example of their role in signal transduction, they regulate the leptin receptor/LEPR in the leptin-mediated signaling pathway (By similarity). They also play an important role in the establishment of the skin barrier regulating keratinocyte differentiation and the proper assembly of the cornified envelope (By similarity). The biosynthesis of GSLs is also required for the proper intestinal endocytic uptake of nutritional lipids (By similarity). Catalyzes the synthesis of xylosylceramide/XylCer (such as beta-D-xylosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine) using UDP-Xyl as xylose donor (PubMed:33361282)

Subcellular Location

Golgi apparatus membrane (Multi-pass membrane protein)

Tissue Specificity

Found in all tissues examined

Subunit

Interacts with RTN1; regulates the ceramide glucosyltransferase activity of UGCG

Pathway

Lipid metabolism; sphingolipid metabolism

• Ichikawa S. et al. Expression cloning of a cDNA for human ceramide glucosyltransferase that catalyzes the first glycosylation step of glycosphingolipid synthesis. — Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (1996)
• Ichikawa S. et al. PubMed: 8901638 — Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (1996)
• Ota T. et al. Complete sequencing and characterization of 21,243 full-length human cDNAs. — Nat. Genet. (2004)
• Humphray S.J. et al. DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 9. — Nature (2004)
• Mural R.J. et al. PubMed: CI-5GBDQ6B103N1E (JUL-)
• The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC). — Genome Res. (2004)
• Jeckel D. et al. Glucosylceramide is synthesized at the cytosolic surface of various Golgi subfractions. — J. Cell Biol. (1992)
• Watanabe R. et al. Up-regulation of glucosylceramide synthase expression and activity during human keratinocyte differentiation. — J. Biol. Chem. (1998)