Diversity and functions of glycosaminoglycan sulfotransferases

Sulfate residues attached to the specific position of the component sugar r esidues of glycosaminoglycans play important roles in the formation of func tional domain structures. The introduction of a sulfate group is catalyzed by various sulfotransferases with strict substrate specificities. A rapid d evelopment achieved in the cloning of various glycosaminoglycan sulfotransf erases has allowed us to study the biological functions of glycosaminoglyca n sulfotransferases and their products, sulfated glycosaminoglycans. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.