The GNS gene provides instructions for producing an enzyme called N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase. This enzyme is located in lysosomes, compartments within cells that digest and recycle different types of molecules. N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase is involved in the step-wise breakdown of large molecules called glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). GAGs are composed of sugar molecules that are linked together to form a long string. To break down these large molecules, individual sugars are removed one at a time from one end of the molecule. N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase removes a chemical group known as a sulfate from a subset of GAGs called heparan sulfate when the sugar N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfate is located at the end.
Other Names
G6S; glucosamine-6-sulfatase; GNS_HUMAN; MGC21274; N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase; N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfatase precursor
Related Genetics Topics
Identifiers
- NCBI Gene: 2799
- OMIM: 607664
Source: MedlinePlus Genetics, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
