Hydrolases are a class of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of chemical bonds using water molecules. This broad enzyme category functions in a wide range of biological processes and is classified based on the type of bond they act upon. Proteases, for example, cleave peptide bonds and are responsible for protein turnover, digestion, blood clotting, apoptosis, and extracellular reorganization. Protein phosphatases oppose kinases by removing phosphate groups, making them essential to signal transduction pathways. Lipases, classified as a type of esterase, hydrolyze triglycerides and function in pathways ranging from fat metabolism to signaling. In addition to essential roles in breaking down complex molecules, hydrolases are versatile enzymes with broad applications across medicine and diagnostics, serving as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for disease. A variety of assays have been developed to measure the activity of both broad and specific hydrolase enzyme targets. These enzyme assay kits, which contain ready-to-use reagent sets, offer a convenient and versatile toolset for protein and biomedical research.
A close look at five leading technologies
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Best practices for performing these types of experiments
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CellMask Green was used to stain the plasma membrane of live primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs).
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In my lab, I use the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit to measure protein concentrations in whole-cell extracts and, occasionally, purified proteins.
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