Glycosyl transferases are enzymes involved in the synthesis of complex carbohydrates. They have been implicated in a variety of physiological processes from homeostasis to cell-cell adhesion. Embryonic chick neural retina cells have both an intracellular and a cell surface form of a beta-N-acetyl galactosaminyl transferase. Both forms exist as high density complexes with tightly bound acceptor. We propose to identify the transferase and its acceptor on two-dimensional electropherograms, analyze the mode through which the enzyme/acceptor is mobilized from its intracellular location to the cell surface, identify the components which comprise the high density complexes and determine whether the transferase/acceptor complex plays a role in cell adhesion.
