Catalyzes the transfer of L-fucose, from a guanosine diphosphate-beta-L-fucose, to the N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) of a distal lactosamine unit of a glycoprotein or a glycolipid-linked polylactosamine chains through an alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkage and participates in particular to the Lewis x (Lex)/CD15 epitope biosynthesis in neurons which allows cell differentiation, cell adhesion, and initiation of neurite outgrowth . Also fucosylates di-, tri- and tetraantennary N-glycans linked to glycoproteins and the inner lactosamine unit of the alpha2,3-sialylated polylactosamine resulting in sLex (CD15s) epitope synthesis . Furthermore, it is capable of synthesizing Lewis a (Lea), although to a lesser extent than Lex and Lewis y (Ley) and to confer SELE-dependent, but not SELL- and SELP-selectin-dependent, cell rolling and adhesion by enhancing Lex and sLex synthesis . May also fucosylate the internal LacNAc unit of the polylactosamine chain to form VIM-2 antigen that serves as recognition epitope for SELE.
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Cellular Localization:
Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network membrane ; Single-pass type II membrane protein . Golgi apparatus membrane .
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Tissue Expression:
Strongly expressed in forebrain and stomach, lower expression in spleen and peripheral blood leukocytes, and no expression in small intestine, colon, liver, lung, kidney, adrenal cortex or uterus (PubMed:10386598). Highly expressed in granulocytes. Not expressed in monocytes (PubMed:11278338).