Rabbit anti-Human GALE Polyclonal Antibody

Uniprot Id

Q14376

Target Species

Human

Target Name

GALE

Target Full Name

UDP-glucose 4-epimerase

Target Function

Catalyzes two distinct but analogous reactions: the reversible epimerization of UDP-glucose to UDP-galactose and the reversible epimerization of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine. The reaction with UDP-Gal plays a critical role in the Leloir pathway of galactose catabolism in which galactose is converted to the glycolytic intermediate glucose 6-phosphate. It contributes to the catabolism of dietary galactose and enables the endogenous biosynthesis of both UDP-Gal and UDP-GalNAc when exogenous sources are limited. Both UDP-sugar interconversions are important in the synthesis of glycoproteins and glycolipids.

Target Involvement

Epimerase-deficiency galactosemia (EDG)

Target Protein Families

NAD(P)-dependent epimerase/dehydratase family

Target Research Area

Cell Biology

Target Synonyms

FLJ95174; FLJ97302; Galactose 4 epimerase UDP; Galactowaldenase; galE; GALE_HUMAN; OTTHUMP00000002991; OTTHUMP00000002994; OTTHUMP00000037931; OTTHUMP00000044857; SDR1E1; short chain dehydrogenase/reductase family 1E member 1; UDP galactose 4 epimerase; UDP galactose 4' epimerase; UDP glucose 4 epimerase; UDP-galactose 4-epimerase; UDP-glucose 4-epimerase

Target Background

This gene encodes UDP-galactose-4-epimerase which catalyzes two distinct but analogous reactions: the epimerization of UDP-glucose to UDP-galactose, and the epimerization of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine to UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine. The bifunctional nature of the enzyme has the important metabolic consequence that mutant cells (or individuals) are dependent not only on exogenous galactose, but also on exogenous N-acetylgalactosamine as a necessary precursor for the synthesis of glycoproteins and glycolipids. Mutations in this gene result in epimerase-deficiency galactosemia, also referred to as galactosemia type 3, a disease characterized by liver damage, early-onset cataracts, deafness and cognitive disability, with symptoms ranging from mild ('peripheral' form) to severe ('generalized' form). Multiple alternatively spliced transcripts encoding the same protein have been identified.