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GALNS Gene
GALNS Gene
<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">galns</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Species</td>
<td>GALNS Homolog</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">D. rerio</td>
<td>galns</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">G. gallus</td>
<td>GALNS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">M. musculus</td>
<td>Galns</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">*H.
GALNS Gene
<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">galns</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Species</td>
<td>GALNS Homolog</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">D. rerio</td>
<td>galns</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">G. gallus</td>
<td>GALNS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">M. musculus</td>
<td>Galns</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">H. sapiens</td>
<td>GALNS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Tissue</td>
<td>Enzyme Activity</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Cartilage</td>
<td>Very High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Bone</td>
<td>High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Liver</td>
<td>High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Fibroblasts</td>
<td>Moderate</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Cornea</td>
<td>High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Symbol</td>
<td>GALNS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Full Name</td>
<td>Galactosamine-6-Sulfatase</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosomal Location</td>
<td>16q24.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene ID</td>
<td>2581</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl ID</td>
<td>ENSG00000162836</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt ID</td>
<td>F5H6R4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">OMIM</td>
<td>613898</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene Type</td>
<td>Protein coding</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein Name</td>
<td>GALNS (N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Molecular Weight</td>
<td>56 kDa (mature)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Amino Acids</td>
<td>517</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Subcellular Localization</td>
<td>Lysosome</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Enzyme Family</td>
<td>Sulfatase</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Substrate</td>
<td>Product</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Keratan sulfate</td>
<td>Desulfated keratan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chondroitin-6-sulfate</td>
<td>Desulfated CS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Parameter</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Optimal pH</td>
<td>4.0-5.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Km (keratan sulfate)</td>
<td>0.8 mM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Vmax</td>
<td>120 nmol/mg/h</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Specificity</td>
<td>6-sulfate only</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Feature</td>
<td>Description</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Inheritance</td>
<td>Autosomal recessive</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Prevalence</td>
<td>1:200,000-1:300,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Enzyme deficiency</td>
<td>GALNS activity <10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">GAG accumulation</td>
<td>Keratan sulfate, CS-6-S</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Skeletal disease</td>
<td>Severe dysostosis multiplex</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">System</td>
<td>Manifestation</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Skeletal</td>
<td>Short stature, spinal compression</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ocular</td>
<td>Corneal clouding</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Auditory</td>
<td>Hearing loss</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Respiratory</td>
<td>Airway obstruction</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Cardiovascular</td>
<td>Valve disease</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">CNS</td>
<td>Normal intelligence</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Variant Type</td>
<td>Frequency</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Missense</td>
<td>50%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Nonsense</td>
<td>25%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Splice site</td>
<td>15%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Deletions</td>
<td>10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">cDNA Change</td>
<td>Protein Change</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">c.574G>A</td>
<td>p.G192R</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">c. 1402C>T</td>
<td>p.R468W</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">c. 901C>T</td>
<td>p.R301C</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Domain</td>
<td>Residues</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Signal peptide</td>
<td>1-23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Propeptide</td>
<td>24-50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Catalytic domain</td>
<td>51-400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">C-terminal</td>
<td>401-517</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Approach</td>
<td>Status</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Enzyme replacement</td>
<td>Approved (Vestronidase alfa)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Gene therapy</td>
<td>Clinical trials</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Hematopoietic stem cell transplant</td>
<td>Available</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Pharmacological chaperones</td>
<td>Research</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Substrate reduction therapy</td>
<td>Research</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Protein</td>
<td>Interaction</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">SUMF1</td>
<td>Sulfatase modification</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">ARSB</td>
<td>Related sulfatase</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">GUSB</td>
<td>Lysosomal enzyme</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Marker</td>
<td>Normal</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Urinary GAGs</td>
<td><3.5 μg/mg Cr</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">GALNS activity</td>
<td>>10 nmol/mg/h</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Blood spot GALNS</td>
<td>High</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Specialist</td>
<td>Role</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Orthopedist</td>
<td>Spinal monitoring, joint management</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ophthalmologist</td>
<td>Corneal transplant if needed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Otolaryngologist</td>
<td>Airway, hearing</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Pulmonologist</td>
<td>Sleep apnea</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Cardiologist</td>
<td>Valve monitoring</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Geneticist</td>
<td>Family counseling</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">1 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
Overview
GALNS (Galactosamine-6-Sulfatase) encodes a lysosomal enzyme essential for the degradation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) keratan sulfate and chondroitin-6-sulfate[@tessitore2000]. GALNS catalyzes the hydrolysis of the sulfate group at the 6-position of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) residues in these GAGs. Deficiency of GALNS causes Morquio A disease (Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA, MPS IVA), a autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive skeletal dysplasia, short stature, and diverse systemic manifestations[@montano2007].
The GALNS gene is located on chromosome 16q24.3 and encodes a 517-amino acid protein that undergoes post-translational modification in the endoplasmic reticulum. The enzyme requires conversion of a conserved cysteine residue to formylglycine (FGly) by the SUMF1 enzyme for catalytic activity[@settembre2007]. This unique FMU (formylglycine generating) modification is shared by all sulfatases.
Evolutionary Conservation
GALNS is conserved across species:
Tissue Distribution
Gene Information
Protein Overview
Molecular Function
Catalytic Activity
GALNS hydrolyzes 6-sulfate groups from[@dixon2011]:
Sulfatase Modification
All sulfatases require post-translational modification by SUMF1[@settembre2007]:
Enzyme Kinetics
Disease Associations
Morquio A Disease (MPS IVA)
Morquio A is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder[@clarke2011]:
Clinical Phenotype
Clinical Features
Genetics
Pathogenic Variants
Over 200 pathogenic variants have been identified in GALNS[@miller2011]:
Common Variants
Structure
Protein Domain Architecture
Active Site
- Formylglycine (FGly): Nucleophilic catalyst at position 79
- Substrate binding pocket: 6-sulfate recognition
- Calcium binding: Structural role
Treatment Approaches
Available and Developmental Therapies
Enzyme Replacement Therapy
The FDA-approved treatment is vestronidase alfa (Morozyme)[@harmatz2014]:
- Weekly IV infusions
- Improves endurance
- Reduces urinary GAGs
- Does not cross BBB
Interaction Network
Key Interacting Proteins
Diagnostic Markers
Biomarkers
Newborn Screening
GALNS can be detected in newborn blood spots[@wood2013]:
- Tandem mass spectrometry
- Enzyme activity assay
- Second-tier DNA testing
Clinical Management
Multidisciplinary Care
Surgical Interventions
Prognosis
Long-Term Outcomes
With early treatment, outcomes have improved[@goto2016]:
- Increased life expectancy
- Maintained mobility
- Preserved vision
- Improved quality of life
Factors Affecting Prognosis
- Age at treatment initiation
- Residual enzyme activity
- Genotype-phenotype correlation
- Compliance with therapy
See Also
- [GALNS Protein](/proteins/galns-protein)
- [Morquio A Disease](/diseases/morquio-a)
- [Mucopolysaccharidosis](/diseases/mucopolysaccharidosis)
- [Lysosomal Storage Disorders](/diseases/lysosomal-storage-disorders)
- [Skeletal Dysplasia](/diseases/skeletal-dysplasia)
GALNS (N-Acetylgalactosamine-6-Sulfatase) is a lysosomal exohydrolase that catalyzes the removal of the 6-sulfate group from N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate residues in keratan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans, enabling their sequential degradation within the lysosomal matrix. The enzyme is synthesized as a preproprotein, translocated into the ER lumen, where it undergoes N-glycosylation and dimerization before trafficking to the lysosome via the mannose-6-phosphate receptor pathway. Deficiency of GALNS causes mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (Morquio A syndrome), a lysosomal storage disorder in which keratan sulfate and chondroitin-6-sulfate accumulate within lysosomes across multiple tissues, including the central nervous system. Within neurons, accumulated keratan sulfate disrupts lysosomal degradative capacity, impairs autophagy flux, and triggers secondary accumulation of other undegraded substrates—including amyloid-β and tau pathology markers. Lysosomal membrane destabilization from stored material activates caspase-mediated apoptotic signaling and triggers microglial neuroinflammatory responses. Glycosaminoglycan accumulation in the spinal cord causes progressive cervical myelopathy and compression of motor neurons, compounding the neurodegeneration. GALNS is expressed in cerebral cortical neurons and oligodendrocytes, where it participates in the turnover of brain-specific proteoglycans including decorin and biglycan in the extracellular matrix. Notably, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and enzyme replacement therapy can partially cross-correct CNS manifestations by providing circulating GALNS that crosses the blood–brain barrier via endogenous transport mechanisms. Emerging gene therapy approaches using AAV-mediated GALNS expression show promise in preclinical Morquio A models, with intra-cerebroventricular delivery achieving widespread enzyme distribution in non-human primates. PMID: 21506915 PMID: 32216080 PMID: 22231379 PMID: 23844448 PMID: 31196221## Molecular Mechanism
GALNS (N-Acetylgalactosamine-6-Sulfatase) is a lysosomal exohydrolase that catalyzes the removal of the 6-sulfate group from N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate residues in keratan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans, enabling their sequential degradation within the lysosomal matrix. The enzyme is synthesized as a preproprotein, translocated into the ER lumen, where it undergoes N-glycosylation and dimerization before trafficking to the lysosome via the mannose-6-phosphate receptor pathway. Deficiency of GALNS causes mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (Morquio A syndrome), a lysosomal storage disorder in which keratan sulfate and chondroitin-6-sulfate accumulate within lysosomes across multiple tissues, including the central nervous system. Within neurons, accumulated keratan sulfate disrupts lysosomal degradative capacity, impairs autophagy flux, and triggers secondary accumulation of other undegraded substrates—including amyloid-β and tau pathology markers. Lysosomal membrane destabilization from stored material activates caspase-mediated apoptotic signaling and triggers microglial neuroinflammatory responses. Glycosaminoglycan accumulation in the spinal cord causes progressive cervical myelopathy and compression of motor neurons, compounding the neurodegeneration. GALNS is expressed in cerebral cortical neurons and oligodendrocytes, where it participates in the turnover of brain-specific proteoglycans including decorin and biglycan in the extracellular matrix. Notably, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and enzyme replacement therapy can partially cross-correct CNS manifestations by providing circulating GALNS that crosses the blood–brain barrier via endogenous transport mechanisms. Emerging gene therapy approaches using AAV-mediated GALNS expression show promise in preclinical Morquio A models, with intra-cerebroventricular delivery achieving widespread enzyme distribution in non-human primates. PMID: 21506915 PMID: 32216080 PMID: 22231379 PMID: 23844448 PMID: 31196221
References
▸Metadataorigin_type: v1_polymorphic_backfill
| slug | genes-galns |
| kg_node_id | GALNS |
| entity_type | gene |
| origin_type | v1_polymorphic_backfill |
| source_table | wiki_pages |
| wiki_page_id | wp-f74e88597ed8 |
| __merged_from | {'merged_at': '2026-05-13', 'unprefixed_id': 'genes-galns'} |
| _schema_version | 1 |
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