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Hydrolase

 
(′hī·drə′lās)

(biochemistry) Any of a class of enzymes which catalyze the hydrolysis of proteins, nucleic acids, starch, fats, phosphate esters, and other macromolecular substances.


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Medical Dictionary: hy·dro·lase
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('drə-lās', -lāz')
n.

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a substrate through the addition of water.

Veterinary Dictionary: hydrolase
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One of the six main classes of enzymes, comprising those that catalyze the hydrolysis of a compound.

Wikipedia: Hydrolase
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In biochemistry, a hydrolase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a chemical bond. For example, an enzyme that catalyzed the following reaction is a hydrolase:

A–B + H2O → A–OH + B–H

Nomenclature

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:

References


 
 

 

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Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hydrolase" Read more