Abstract: A novel gene defining a novel enzyme UDP-galactose: ?-D-galactose-R 4-?-D-galactosyltransferase, termed ?4Gal-T1, with unique enzymatic properties is disclosed. The invention provides isolated DNA molecules and DNA constructs encoding ?4Gal-T1 and derivatives thereof by way of amino acid deletion, substitution or insertion exhibiting ?4Gal-T1 activity, as well as cloning and expression vectors including such DNA, host cells comprising DNA encoding ?4Gal-T1, and recombinant methods for providing ?4Gal-T1. The enzyme ?4Gal-T1 and ?4Gal-active derivatives thereof are disclosed. Further, the invention discloses methods of obtaining ?1, 4galactosyl glycosylated glycosphingolipids by use of an enzymatically active ?4Gal-T1 protein thereof or by using cells stably transfected with a vector including DNA encoding an enzymatically active ?4Gal-T1 protein as an expression system for recombinant production of such glycosphingolipids.