Glucosylceramidase

In enzymology, a glucosylceramidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * D-glucosyl-N-acylsphingosine + H2O $$\rightleftharpoons$$ 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: This enzyme participates in sphingolipid metabolism and degradation of glycan structures.
 * psychosine hydrolase,
 * glucosphingosine glucosylhydrolase,
 * GlcCer-beta-glucosidase,
 * beta-D-glucocerebrosidase,
 * glucosylcerebrosidase,
 * beta-glucosylceramidase,
 * ceramide glucosidase,
 * glucocerebrosidase,
 * glucosylsphingosine beta-glucosidase,
 * and glucosylsphingosine beta-D-glucosidase.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 9 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , , , and.

Human proteins containing this domain

 * GBA, GBA2