UDP Glucuronosyltransferase 3 Family, Polypeptide A1 (UGT3A1)

UGT3A1 belongs to the UDP-glycosyltransferase family. Since the previous review in 1991, sequences of many related UDP glycosyltransferases from lower organisms have appeared in the database. At latest count, in animals, yeast, plants and bacteria there are 110 distinct cDNAs/genes whose protein products all contain a characteristic 'signature sequence' and, thus, are regarded as members of the same superfamily. Comparison of a relatedness tree of proteins leads to the definition of 33 families. It should be emphasized that at least six cloned UDP-GlcNAc N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases are not sufficiently homologous to be included as members of this superfamily and may represent an example of convergent evolution.