glycosidase

Term: glycosidase

Literally meaning: “an enzyme that breaks down glycosides”

Origin: Anc Greek

γλυκός/glykos(=sweet)

+ (-άση)/(-asy)(=-ase) enzyme suffix added to the name of the substrate that the enzyme  hydrolyzes eg proteinase for protein or lipase for lipids

>διά-/dia-(=prefix denoting “through”, “apart” )

> δυο/dio(two) + στάσις/stasis(=halt) > ίστημι/histimi(=stand).

Coined/History 

(?)

Definition

Glycosidase is the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of linked sugar residues from glycosides to smaller sugars.Glycosidase are typically named after the substrate that they act upon such as maltase and chitinase.