Esterase

Class of enzymes which split esters into an acid and alcohol via hydrolysis

In biochemistry, an esterase is a class of enzyme that splits esters into an acid and an alcohol in a chemical reaction with water called hydrolysis (and as such, it is a type of hydrolase).

A wide range of different esterases exist that differ in their substrate specificity, their protein structure, and their biological function.

EC classification/list of enzymes

EC 3.1.1: Carboxylic ester hydrolases
- Acetylesterase (EC 3.1.1.6), splits off acetyl groups
  - Cholinesterase
    - Acetylcholinesterase, inactivates the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
    - Pseudocholinesterase, broad substrate specificity, found in the blood plasma and in the liver
- Pectinesterase (EC 3.1.1.11), clarifies fruit juices
EC 3.1.2: Thiolester hydrolases
- Thioesterase
  - Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1
EC 3.1.3: Phosphoric monoester hydrolases
- Phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.x), hydrolyses phosphoric acid monoesters into a phosphate ion and an alcohol
  - Alkaline phosphatase, removes phosphate groups from many types of molecules, including nucleotides, proteins, and alkaloids.
  - Phosphodiesterase (PDE), inactivates the second messenger cAMP
    - cGMP specific phosphodiesterase type 5, is inhibited by Sildenafil (Viagra)
- Fructose bisphosphatase (3.1.3.11), converts fructose-1,6-bisphosphate to fructose-6-phosphate in gluconeogenesis
EC 3.1.4: Phosphoric diester hydrolases
EC 3.1.5: Triphosphoric monoester hydrolases
EC 3.1.6: Sulfuric ester hydrolases (sulfatases)
EC 3.1.7: Diphosphoric monoester hydrolases
EC 3.1.8: Phosphoric triester hydrolases
Exonucleases (deoxyribonucleases and ribonucleases)
- EC 3.1.11: Exodeoxyribonucleases producing 5'-phosphomonoesters
- EC 3.1.13: Exoribonucleases producing 5'-phosphomonoesters
- EC 3.1.14: Exoribonucleases producing 3'-phosphomonoesters
- EC 3.1.15: Exonucleases active with either ribo- or deoxy-
Endonucleases (deoxyribonucleases and ribonucleases)
- Endodeoxyribonuclease
- Endoribonuclease
- either deoxy- or ribo-

External links

Enzyme nomenclature

Hydrolase: esterases (EC 3.1)

3.1.1: Carboxylic
ester hydrolases

Lipase

Phospholipase
- A1
- A2
- B

3.1.2: Thioesterase

3.1.3: Phosphatase

3.1.4:
Phosphodiesterase

3.1.6: Sulfatase

Nuclease (includes
deoxyribonuclease
and ribonuclease)

3.1.11-16:
Exonuclease

Exodeoxyribonuclease	RecBCD
Exoribonuclease	Oligonucleotidase

3.1.21-31:
Endonuclease

Endodeoxyribonuclease	Deoxyribonuclease I Deoxyribonuclease II Deoxyribonuclease IV Restriction enzyme;see {{Restriction enzyme}} UvrABC endonuclease
Endoribonuclease	RNase III Drosha: Microprocessor complex Dicer: RNA-induced silencing complex RNase H 1 2A 2B 2C RNase P RNase A RNase Z RNase E 1 2 3 4/5 RNase T1
either deoxy- or ribo-	Nuclease S1 Mung bean nuclease Serratia marcescens nuclease Micrococcal nuclease

v t e Enzymes
Activity	Active site Binding site Catalytic triad Oxyanion hole Enzyme promiscuity Diffusion-limited enzyme Cofactor Enzyme catalysis
Regulation	Allosteric regulation Cooperativity Enzyme inhibitor Enzyme activator
Classification	EC number Enzyme superfamily Enzyme family List of enzymes
Kinetics	Enzyme kinetics Eadie–Hofstee diagram Hanes–Woolf plot Lineweaver–Burk plot Michaelis–Menten kinetics
Types	EC1 Oxidoreductases (list) EC2 Transferases (list) EC3 Hydrolases (list) EC4 Lyases (list) EC5 Isomerases (list) EC6 Ligases (list) EC7 Translocases (list)