Types of Hydrolases | Digestive Enzymes

The following points highlight the four main types of hydrolases. The types are: 1. Carbohydrates 2. Proteinases 3. Lipases 4. Nucleases. 

Hydrolases: Type # 1. Carbohydrates (= Carbohydrate-digestive enzymes):

(i) Amylases split polysac­charides (e.g., starch) into disaccharides (e.g., maltose, sucrose, isomaltose, dextrins).

(ii) Disaccharidases are split by maltase, sucrase, lactase, isomaltase and dextrinase into mono-sac­charides (glucose, fructose, galactose).

Hydrolases: Type # 2. Proteinases (= Protein-digesting enzymes):

Pepsin splits proteins into peptones and proteoses, trypsin changes proteins into dipeptides, chymotrypsin converts peptones into dipeptides.

Carboxypeptides split proteoses into dipeptides, elastase converts elastin into dipeptides, amino peptidases split peptides into amino acids and dipeptidases change dipeptides into amino acids. Proteinases (also called proteases) are generally released in inactive form because their active form would hydrolyse cellular and extracellular proteins of organism in the absence of food.

Hydrolases: Type # 3. Lipases (= Fat-digestive enzymes):

These hydrolyse fats into fatty acids and glycerol.

Hydrolases: Type # 4. Nucleases:

(i) Deoxyribonuclease and ribonuclease split DNA and RNA into deoxyribonucleotides and ribonucleotides respectively,

(ii) Nucleotidases convert nucleotides into nucleosides and inorganic phosphate,

(iii) Nucleosidases split nucleosides into nitrog­enous bases and pentose sugar. Thus digestion means the process of conversion of complex food substances into simple absorbable forms.