Endo Beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase (ENGASE)

Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (ENGase; EC 3.2.1.96) is involved in the processing of free oligosaccharides in the cytosol. By using partial amino acid sequences of protein purified from egg oviduct and EST database analysis, Suzuki et al. (2002) identified the gene encoding human cytosolic endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase. The ENGase gene encodes a deduced protein of 743 amino acids. Northern blot analysis detected wide expression of ENGase, with highest expression in thymus and spleen. Homologs were identified in several other species, including Drosophila, C. elegans, and A. thaliana, but not in S. cerevisiae. Homologs share sequence homology in a long stretch of amino acids (amino acids 122-434 of human ENGase) but have relatively diverse N- and C-terminal sequences.