alpha-N-acetylneuraminide alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase 5 (also known as alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase 8E) is involved in the biosynthesis of gangliosides, such as GD1c, GT1a, GQ1b, and GT3. ST8Sia family members are alpha-N-acetylneuraminide alpha-2,8-sialyltransferases that catalyze an alpha-2,8-linkage between sialic acid and the terminal sialic acid residues of glycochains, by transfering sialic acid from CMP-Sia. The ST8Sia family belongs to glycosyltransferase family 29 (GT29).