Glycoside hydrolase family 20
In molecular biology, glycoside hydrolase family 20 is a family of glycoside hydrolases.
Glycoside hydrolases are a widespread group of enzymes that hydrolyse the glycosidic bond between two or more carbohydrates, or between a carbohydrate and a non-carbohydrate moiety. A classification system for glycoside hydrolases, based on sequence similarity, has led to the definition of >100 different families. This classification is available on the CAZy web site, and also discussed at CAZypedia, an online encyclopedia of carbohydrate active enzymes.
Glycoside hydrolase family 20 comprises enzymes with several known activities; beta-hexosaminidase ; lacto-N-biosidase. Carbonyl oxygen of the C-2 acetamido group of the substrate acts as the catalytic nucleophile/base in this family of enzymes.
In the brain and other tissues, beta-hexosaminidase A degrades GM2 gangliosides; specifically, the enzyme hydrolyses terminal non-reducing N-acetyl-D-hexosamine residues in N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminides. There are 3 forms of beta-hexosaminidase: hexosaminidase A is a trimer, with one alpha, one beta-A and one beta-B chain; hexosaminidase B is a tetramer of two beta-A and two beta-B chains; and hexosaminidase S is a homodimer of alpha chains. The two beta chains are derived from the cleavage of a precursor. Mutations in the beta-chain lead to Sandhoff disease, a lysosomal storage disorder characterised by accumulation of GM2 ganglioside.
