Catalyzes the transfer of L-fucose, from a guanosine diphosphate-beta-L-fucose, to the N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) of a distal alpha2,3 sialylated lactosamine unit of a glycoprotein or a glycolipid-linked sialopolylactosamines chain through an alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkage and participates in the final fucosylation step in the biosynthesis of the sialyl Lewis X (sLe(x)), a carbohydrate involved in cell and matrix adhesion during leukocyte trafficking and fertilization (      , ). In vitro, also synthesizes sialyl-dimeric-Lex structures, from VIM-2 structures and both di-fucosylated and trifucosylated structures from mono-fucosylated precursors . However does not catalyze alpha 1-3 fucosylation when an internal alpha 1-3 fucosylation is present in polylactosamine chain and the fucosylation rate of the internal GlcNAc residues is reduced once fucose has been added to the distal GlcNAc (, ). Also catalyzes the transfer of a fucose from GDP-beta-fucose to the 6-sulfated a(2,3)sialylated substrate to produce 6-sulfo sLex mediating significant L-selectin-dependent cell adhesion (, ). Through sialyl-Lewis(x) biosynthesis, can control SELE- and SELP-mediated cell adhesion with leukocytes and allows leukocytes tethering and rolling along the endothelial tissue thereby enabling the leukocytes to accumulate at a site of inflammation (  ). May enhance embryo implantation through sialyl Lewis X (sLeX)-mediated adhesion of embryo cells to endometrium (, ). May affect insulin signaling by up-regulating the phosphorylation and expression of some signaling molecules involved in the insulin-signaling pathway through SLe(x) which is present on the glycans of the INSRR alpha subunit .
Subcellular locations: Golgi apparatus, Golgi stack membrane
Membrane-bound form in trans cisternae of Golgi.
Leukocytic/myeloid lineage cells.