Alpha-N-acetylneuraminide alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase 1 (also known as ganglioside GD3 synthase) adds sialic acids to GM3 ganglioside. ST8Sia family members are alpha-N-acetylneuraminide alpha-2,8-sialyltransferases that catalyze analpha-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 the glycosyltransferase family 29 (GT29).