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The human Sd^a antigen is formed through the addition of an N-acetylgalactosamine residue via a β1,4-linkage to a sub-terminal galactose residue substituted with an α2,3-linked sialic acid residue. We have taken advantage of the previously cloned mouse cDNA sequence of the UDP-GalNAc:Neu5Acα2-3Galβ-R β1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (Sd^a β1,4GalNAc transferase) to screen the human EST and genomic databases and to identify the corresponding human gene. The sequence spans over 35 kb of genomic DNA on chromosome 17 and comprises at least 12 exons. As judged by reverse transcription PCR, the human gene is expressed widely since it is detected in various amounts in almost all cell types studied. Northern blot analysis indicated that five Sd^a β1,4GalNAc transferase transcripts of 8.8, 6.1, 4.7, 3.8 and 1.65 kb were highly expressed in colon and to a lesser extent in kidney, stomach …