Question

Why are the digestive enzymes called as hydrolases?

Answer 1

Hydrolases are the group of enzymes that brings about the hydrolysis (in presence of water) of chemical bond. All digestive enzymes breaks down the large food particles into smaller food particles in presence of water so known as hydrolases. The chemical digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids occurs in presence of hydrolases. Such as sucrase breaks down the sucrose into fructose and glucose in presence of water.

The suffix ‘-ase’ is used with the root name of the substance being acted upon, for example, when sucrose (sugar) is digested, it is acted upon by an enzyme called sucrase.
The type of chemical reaction involved as the enzyme functions, for example, when sucrase acts on sucrose, it breaks it into a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose. This reaction involves adding a water molecule to break a chemical bond and so the enzyme is a hydrolase. All digestive enzymes belong to this hydrolase class.

Hydrolases are the a class of enzymes which are involved in the breaking down of larger molecules into smaller molecules with the addition of water.

And digestive enzymes are classified as hydrolases because they breakdown large and complex food into small and simple ones with use of water..