GnTs

GnTs is an acronym used in several fields, but the most widely recognized use is in biochemistry and glycobiology, where GnT stands for N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase. This class of enzymes catalyzes the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine residues onto growing glycan chains during the process of N-linked glycosylation. Members of this family, often referred to as GnT-III, GnT-IV, GnT-V, among others, are encoded by genes such as MGAT3, MGAT4A, MGAT4B, and MGAT5. Through selective addition of GlcNAc in the Golgi apparatus, they modulate glycan branching and structure, influencing protein folding, stability, receptor interactions, and cell signaling. The activity of GnTs can affect immune recognition and cell adhesion, and altered GnT function has been linked to various diseases, including cancer progression and congenital disorders of glycosylation.

Outside of biology, GnTs is not a standardized term and its meaning is highly context-dependent. Some non-biological uses may employ GnTs as an acronym for project names, hardware components, or other specialized terms in a given publication. Because the term is ambiguous without context, readers should consult a definitions section or glossary in the relevant document to determine which meaning of GnTs is intended.

In biological literature, GnT typically refers to the glycosyltransferase family involved in N-glycan modification, and other uses should be inferred from contextual cues within the text.