Sulfotransferase Explained

In biochemistry, sulfotransferases (SULTs) are transferase enzymes that catalyze the transfer of a sulfo group from a donor molecule to an acceptor alcohol or amine .^[1] The most common sulfo group donor is 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). In the case of alcohol as acceptor, the product is a sulfate :

$\backslash ce\; \backslash \; +\; \backslash \; \backslash ce\; \backslash quad\; \backslash xrightarrow[\backslash text\{\; SULT\; \}]\; \backslash quad\; \backslash ce\; \backslash \; +\; \backslash \; \backslash ce$

whereas an amine leads to a sulfamate :

$\backslash ce\; \backslash \; +\; \backslash \; \backslash ce\; \backslash quad\; \backslash xrightarrow[\backslash text\{\; SULT\; \}]\; \backslash quad\; \backslash ce\; \backslash \; +\; \backslash \; \backslash ce$

Both reactive groups for a sulfonation via sulfotransferases may be part of a protein, lipid, carbohydrate or steroid.^[2]

Examples

The following are examples of sulfotransferases:

• carbohydrate sulfotransferase: CHST1, CHST2, CHST3, CHST4, CHST5, CHST6, CHST7, CHST8, CHST9, CHST10, CHST11, CHST12, CHST13, CHST14
• galactose-3-O-sulfotransferase: GAL3ST1, GAL3ST2, GAL3ST3, GAL3ST4
• heparan sulfate 2-O-sulfotransferase: HS2ST1
• heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase: HS3ST1, HS3ST2, HS3ST3A1, HS3ST3B1, HS3ST4, HS3ST5, HS3ST6
• heparan sulfate 6-O-sulfotransferase: HS6ST1, HS6ST2, HS6ST3
• N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase: NDST1, NDST2, NDST3, NDST4
• tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase: TPST1, TPST2
• uronyl-2-sulfotransferase
• Estrone sulfotransferase
• Chondroitin 4-sulfotransferase
• other: SULT1A1, SULT1A2, SULT1A3, SULT1A4, SULT1B1, SULT1C2, SULT1C3, SULT1C4, SULT1D1P, SULT1E1, SULT2A1, SULT2B1, SULT4A1, SULT6B1

Notes and References

1. Negishi M . Structure and function of sulfotransferases . Arch. Biochem. Biophys. . 390 . 2 . 149–57 . 2001 . 11396917 . 10.1006/abbi.2001.2368. vanc. Pedersen LG. Petrotchenko E. 3. Shevtsov. S. Gorokhov. A. Kakuta. Y. Pedersen. LC.
2. Rath VL, Verdugo D, Hemmerich S . Sulfotransferase structural biology and inhibitor discovery . Drug Discov. Today . 9 . 23 . 1003–11 . 2004 . 15574316 . 10.1016/S1359-6446(04)03273-8.