Biosynthesis of gangliosides.

<p>Gangliosides are classified in 4 series according to the number of sialic acid residues linked to lactosylceramide (LacCer) [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0196369#pone.0196369.ref022" target="_blank">22</a>]. The 0-series gangliosides are directly synthesized from LacCer and the precursors of other series are synthesized by specific sialyltransferases: ST3Gal V (GM3 synthase), ST8Sia I (GD3 synthase) and ST8Sia V (GT3 synthase), respectively. The elongation of precursors is performed by the sequential action of N-acetyl-galactosaminyltransferase (β4GalNAc T1), galactosyltransferase (β3Gal T4) and sialyltransferases (ST3Gal II and ST8Sia V). Cer, ceramide. Adapted from [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0196369#pone.0196369.ref004" target="_blank">4</a>].