Β-Galactosidase

Common card · No. 451124

β-Galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23, beta-gal or β-gal; systematic name β-D-galactoside galactohydrolase) is a glycoside hydrolase enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of terminal non-reducing β-D-galactose residues in β-D-galactosides. It is sometimes loosely referred to as lactase, but that name is technically reserved for mammalian digestive enzymes that break down lactose specifically. β-gal digests many other additional β-galactosides, which are carbohydrates containing galactose where the glycosidic bond lies above the galactose molecule. Substrates of different β-galactosidases include ganglioside GM1, lactosylceramides, lactose, and various glycoproteins.

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