Abstract
Summary Butyrate inhibits the growth of HeLa cells and markedly alters their morphology as the cells acquire a more fibroblast-like shape by greatly extending cellular processes. Butyrate simultaneously causes an increase in cellular sialylactosylceramide content by elevating CMP-sialic acid: lactosylceramide sialyltransferase activity (7–24 fold); whereas other glycolipid glycosyltransferase activities do not increase. Induction of this specific sialyltransferase is blocked by cycloheximide or actinomycin D. This first report on the induced synthesis of glycolipid components suggests that these complex carbohydrates have a role in cell growth and morphology.
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