Glucosylceramidase

In enzymology, a glucosylceramidase (EC 3.2.1.45) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

D-glucosyl-N-acylsphingosine + H₂O D-glucose + N-acylsphingosine

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are D-glucosyl-N-acylsphingosine and H₂O, whereas its two products are D-glucose and N-acylsphingosine.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, specifically those glycosidases that hydrolyse O- and S-glycosyl compounds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is D-glucosyl-N-acylsphingosine glucohydrolase. Other names in common use include:

• psychosine hydrolase,
• glucosphingosine glucosylhydrolase,
• GlcCer-beta-glucosidase,
• beta-D-glucocerebrosidase,
• glucosylcerebrosidase,
• beta-glucosylceramidase,
• ceramide glucosidase,
• glucocerebrosidase,
• glucosylsphingosine beta-glucosidase,
• and glucosylsphingosine beta-D-glucosidase.

This enzyme participates in sphingolipid metabolism and degradation of glycan structures.

Structural studies

As of late 2007, 9 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes 1OGS, 1Y7V, 2F61, 2J25, 2NSX, 2NT0, 2NT1, 2V3D, and 2V3E.

Human proteins containing this domain

• GBA, GBA2

References

Further reading

• Brady RO, Kanfer J, and Shapiro D (1965). "The metabolism of glucocerebrosides: I. Purification and properties of a glucocerebroside-cleaving enzyme from spleen tissue". J. Biol. Chem. 240: 39–43. 
• Vaccaro AM, Muscillo M, Suzuki K (1985). "Characterization of human glucosylsphingosine glucosyl hydrolase and comparison with glucosylceramidase". Eur. J. Biochem. 146 (2): 315–21. doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.1985.tb08655.x. PMID 3967661.