Is Esterase a Hydrolase Enzyme?

Esterases, also referred to as carboxyl ester hydrolases (EC 3.1. 1. -), catalyze the hydrolysis and synthesis of ester bonds. They include both lipolytic enzymes, for example, enzymes active on lipids, also called lipases, and nonlipolytic esterases, active on water-soluble ester substrates.

What type of enzyme is esterase?

An esterase is a hydrolase enzyme that splits esters into an acid and an alcohol in a chemical reaction with water called hydrolysis. A wide range of different esterases exist that differ in their substrate specificity, their protein structure, and their biological function.

What are examples of hydrolase enzymes?

Some common examples of hydrolase enzymes are esterases including lipases, phosphatases, glycosidases, peptidases, and nucleosidases. Esterases cleave ester bonds in lipids and phosphatases cleave phosphate groups off molecules.