title: GD3 and GM2 synthase activities in rat testes during the period of sexual development.
abstract: Activities of two key enzymes of gangliosides biosynthesis were determined in rat testes during development. GD3 synthase activity was low and showed small variations with age. GM2 synthase activity increased 10-fold in testes from 10- to 30-d-old animals, showing a maximum activity at 30 d, followed by a small decrease until 45 d and then a constant activity up to adulthood. These developmental changes in the activity of both glycosyltransferases were related to the increasing complexity in the ganglioside pattern observed in rats testes during the period of sexual development.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Gamallo
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bernard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000032:analysis*; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D000097763:Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase
chemical_list: D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; D012799:Sialyltransferases; D000097763:Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase; C023220:(N-acetylneuraminyl)-galactosylglucosylceramide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase; C043662:alpha-N-acetylneuraminate alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase