Glycosyltransferases catalyze the transfer of sugar moieties from activated donor molecules to specific acceptor molecules, forming glycosidic bonds. The acceptor molecule can be a lipid, a protein, a heterocyclic compound, or another carbohydrate residue. The structures of the formed glycoconjugates are extremely diverse, reflecting a wide range of biological functions. The members of this family share a common GTB topology, one of the two protein topologies observed for nucleotide-sugar-dependent glycosyltransferases. GTB proteins have distinct N- and C- terminal domains each containing a typical Rossmann fold. The two domains have high structural homology despite minimal sequence homology. The large cleft that separates the two domains includes the catalytic center and permits a high degree of flexibility.

Exostosin family. The EXT family is a family of tumour suppressor genes. Mutations of EXT1 on 8q24.1, EXT2 on 11p11-13, and EXT3 on 19p have been associated with the autosomal dominant disorder known as hereditary multiple exostoses (HME). This is the most common known skeletal dysplasia. The chromosomal locations of other EXT genes suggest association with other forms of neoplasia. EXT1 and EXT2 have both been shown to encode a heparan sulphate polymerase with both D-glucuronyl (GlcA) and N-acetyl-D-glucosaminoglycan (GlcNAC) transferase activities. The nature of the defect in heparan sulphate biosynthesis in HME is unclear.