Theenzymecarboxylesterase (orcarboxylic-ester hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.1; systematic namecarboxylic-ester hydrolase)catalyzes reactions of the following form:[1]
Carboxylesterases are widely distributed in nature, and are common in mammalian liver. Many participate inphase I metabolism ofxenobiotics such as toxins or drugs; the resultingcarboxylates are thenconjugated by other enzymes to increase solubility and eventually excreted. The essential polyunsaturated fatty acidarachidonic acid (AAC20H32O2; 20:4,n-6), formed by the synthesis from dietarylinoleic acid (LA: C18H32O2 18:2, n-6), has a role as a human carboxylesterase inhibitor.[2]
^Aranda, Juan; Cerqueira, N. M. F. S. A.; Fernandes, P.A.; Roca, M.; Tuñon, I.; Ramos, M. J. (2014). "The Catalytic Mechanism of Carboxylesterases. A Computational Study".Biochemistry.53 (36):5820–5829.doi:10.1021/bi500934j.PMID25101647.
Augusteyn RC, de Jersey J, Webb EC, Zerner B (1969). "On the homology of the active-site peptides of liver carboxylesterases".Biochim. Biophys. Acta.171 (1):128–37.doi:10.1016/0005-2744(69)90112-0.PMID4884138.
Horgan DJ, Stoops JK, Webb EC, Zerner B (1969). "Carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1). A large-scale purification of pig liver carboxylesterase".Biochemistry.8 (5):2000–6.doi:10.1021/bi00833a033.PMID5785220.
Malhotra OP, Philip G (1966). "Specificity of goat intestinal esterase".Biochem. Z.346:386–402.
Mentlein R, Schumann M, Heymann E (1984). "Comparative chemical and immunological characterization of five lipolytic enzymes (carboxylesterases) from rat liver microsomes".Arch. Biochem. Biophys.234 (2):612–21.doi:10.1016/0003-9861(84)90311-4.PMID6208846.
Runnegar MT, Scott K, Webb EC, Zerner B (1969). "Carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1). Purification and titration of ox liver carboxylesterase".Biochemistry.8 (5):2013–8.doi:10.1021/bi00833a035.PMID5785222.
