Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
GNPTG
Introduction
GNPTG (“N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase, gamma subunit.”) is a gene in the human body. It is one of three genes that were found to correlate with stuttering.
Function
Function
The GNPTG gene codes instructions for making the gamma subunit of an enzyme called GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase (also called N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase). This enzyme is made up of two alpha (α), two beta (β), and two gamma (γ) subunits. GNPTAB produces the alpha and beta subunits. GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase functions to prepare newly made enzymes for lysosome transportation (lysosomal hydrolases to the lysosome). Lysosomes, a part of an animal cells, helps break down large molecules into smaller ones that can be reused. GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase catalyzes the N-linked glycosylation of asparagine residues with a molecule called mannose-6-phosphate (M6P). M6P acts as indicator whether a hydrolase should be transported to the lysosome or not. Once a hydrolase has the indication from an M6P, it can be transported to a lysosome.