Hydrolytic Enzymes

Hydrolytic enzymes (hydrolases) are enzymes under the influence of which complex organic substances, by adding water, decompose into simpler constituent parts, i.e., undergo hydrolysis (see). Under certain conditions, the reversal of the action of hydrolytic enzymes is possible—the synthesis of complex substances from simple ones with the elimination of water. Hydrolytic enzymes, which include all digestive enzymes and a significant portion of tissue enzymes, form one of the two main classes of enzymes in the organism. They play a tremendous physiological role, converting food substances into a form accessible for absorption, participating in the synthesis of the body's own substances, and preparing cellular substances for use in tissue metabolism. The thermal effect of the action of hydrolytic enzymes is insignificant; reactions that serve as a source of energy for the organism are catalyzed by the second main group of enzymes—desmolases. The following types of hydrolytic enzymes are distinguished: 1. Esterases, which split compounds of the ester type (R.COO.R' + H₂O = R.COOH + R'OH)—lipases, phosphatases. 2. Carbohydrases, which split the ether bond R-O-R', enzymes that hydrolyze carbohydrates—poly- and disaccharidases, glycosidases. 3. Amidases, which split the amide bond (-CO-NH-)—urease, arginase, peptidases. Proteases (see), which split protein bodies, are also assigned to this same group.