In biochemistry, a hydrolase or hydrolytic enzyme is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a chemical bond. For example, an enzyme that catalyzed the following reaction is a hydrolase:
Contents
A–B + H2O → A–OH + B–HNomenclature
Systematic names of hydrolases are formed as "substrate hydrolase." However, common names are typically in the form "substratease." For example, a nuclease is a hydrolase that cleaves nucleic acids.
Classification
Hydrolases are classified as EC 3 in the EC number classification of enzymes. Hydrolases can be further classified into several subclasses, based upon the bonds they act upon:
Clinical considerations
Hydrolase secreted by Lactobacillus jensenii in the human gut stimulates the liver to secrete bile salts that aids in the digestion of food.
Etymology and pronunciation
The word hydrolase (/ˈhaɪdroʊleɪs, -leɪz/) suffixes the combining form of -ase to the hydrol syllables of hydrolysis.