SGK196 is a glycosylation-specific O-mannose kinase required for dystroglycan function.

Phosphorylated O-mannosyl trisaccharide [N-acetylgalactosamine-β3-N-acetylglucosamine-β4-(phosphate-6-)mannose] is required for dystroglycan to bind laminin-G domain-containing extracellular proteins with high affinity in muscle and brain. However, the enzymes that produce this structure have not been fully elucidated. We found that glycosyltransferase-like domain-containing 2 (GTDC2) is a protein O-linked mannose β 1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase whose product could be extended by β 1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase2 (B3GALNT2) to form the O-mannosyl trisaccharide. Furthermore, we identified SGK196 as an atypical kinase that phosphorylated the 6-position of O-mannose, specifically after the mannose had been modified by both GTDC2 and B3GALNT2. These findings suggest how mutations in GTDC2, B3GALNT2, and SGK196 disrupt dystroglycan receptor function and lead to congenital muscular dystrophy.