IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature

EC 3.1.1.1

Accepted name: carboxylesterase

Reaction: A carboxylic ester + H2O = an alcohol + a carboxylate

Other name(s): ali-esterase; B-esterase; monobutyrase; cocaine esterase; procaine esterase; methylbutyrase; vitamin A esterase; butyryl esterase; carboxyesterase; carboxylate esterase; carboxylic esterase; methylbutyrate esterase; triacetin esterase; carboxyl ester hydrolase; butyrate esterase; methylbutyrase; α-carboxylesterase; propionyl esterase; nonspecific carboxylesterase; esterase D; esterase B; esterase A; serine esterase; carboxylic acid esterase; cocaine esterase

Systematic name: carboxylic-ester hydrolase

Comments: Wide specificity. The enzymes from microsomes also catalyse the reactions of EC 3.1.1.2 (arylesterase), EC 3.1.1.5 (lysophospholipase), EC 3.1.1.6 (acetylesterase), EC 3.1.1.23 (acylglycerol lipase), EC 3.1.1.28 (acylcarnitine hydrolase), EC 3.1.2.2 (palmitoyl-CoA hydrolase), EC 3.5.1.4 (amidase) and EC 3.5.1.13 (aryl-acylamidase). Also hydrolyses vitamin A esters.

Links to other databases: BRENDA, EAWAG-BBD, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, PDB, CAS registry number: 9016-18-6

References:

1. Augusteyn, R.C., de Jersey, J., Webb, E.C. and Zerner, B. On the homology of the active-site peptides of liver carboxylesterases. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 171 (1969) 128-137. [PMID: 4884138]

2. Barker, D.L. and Jencks, W.P. Pig liver esterase. Physical properties. Biochemistry 8 (1969) 3879-3889. [PMID: 4981346]

3. Bertram, J. and Krisch, K. Hydrolysis of vitamin A acetate by unspecific carboxylesterases from liver and kidney. Eur. J. Biochem. 11 (1969) 122-126. [PMID: 5353595]

4. Burch, J. The purification and properties of horse liver esterase. Biochem. J. 58 (1954) 415-426.

5. Horgan, D.J., Stoops, J.K., Webb, E.C. and Zerner, B. Carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1). A large-scale purification of pig liver carboxylesterase. Biochemistry 8 (1969) 2000-2006. [PMID: 5785220]

6. Malhotra, O.P. and Philip, G. Specificity of goat intestinal esterase. Biochem. Z. 346 (1966) 386-402.

7. Mentlein, R., Schumann, M. and Heymann, E. Comparative chemical and immunological characterization of five lipolytic enzymes (carboxylesterases) from rat liver microsomes. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 234 (1984) 612-621. [PMID: 6208846]

8. Runnegar, M.T.C., Scott, K., Webb, E.C. and Zerner, B. Carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1). Purification and titration of ox liver carboxylesterase. Biochemistry 8 (1969) 2013-2018. [PMID: 5785222]

[EC 3.1.1.1 created 1961]


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