Transglycosylases

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• Author: Spencer Williams
• Responsible Curator: Spencer Williams

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Overview

Transglycosidases are a class of GH enzymes that can catalyze the transformation of one glycoside to another. That is, these enzymes catalyze the interchange of an aglycon of a glycoside. Mechanistically, transglycosidases utilize the same mechanism as certain retaining glycoside hydrolases. Some transglycosidases possess substantial glycoside hydrolase activity, and some glycoside hydrolases possess transglycosidase activity. Indeed, in many cases it is unclear what the major role of an enzyme that possesses both activities may be. Transglycosidases are classified as glycoside hydrolases into various GH families on the basis of sequence similarity.

Generalized mechanism of a tranglycosidase. Enzymatic cleavage of a substrate through a classical retaining mechanism results in formation of a glycosyl enzyme intermediate. This can partition to react with either water to cause hydrolysis (glycoside hydrolase activity) or to an alternative acceptor, often a sugar, to cause transglycoidation (transglycosidase activity).