Glycosyltransferase forming with EXT2 the heterodimeric heparan sulfate polymerase which catalyzes the elongation of the heparan sulfate glycan backbone (PubMed:10639137, PubMed:22660413, PubMed:36402845, PubMed:36593275, PubMed:9620772). Glycan backbone extension consists in the alternating transfer of (1->4)-beta-D-GlcA and (1->4)-alpha-D-GlcNAc residues from their respective UDP-sugar donors. Both EXT1 and EXT2 are required for the full activity of the polymerase since EXT1 bears the N-acetylglucosaminyl-proteoglycan 4-beta-glucuronosyltransferase activity within the complex while EXT2 carries the glucuronosyl-N-acetylglucosaminyl-proteoglycan 4-alpha-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity (PubMed:36402845, PubMed:36593275). Heparan sulfate proteoglycans are ubiquitous components of the extracellular matrix and play an important role in tissue homeostasis and signaling (PubMed:10639137, PubMed:11391482, PubMed:22660413, PubMed:9620772).
