Alpha-L-fucosidase


In enzymology, an alpha-L-fucosidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are alpha-L-fucoside and H2O, whereas its two products are L-fucose and alcohol.
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 alpha-L-fucoside fucohydrolase. This enzyme is also called alpha-fucosidase. This enzyme participates in n-glycan degradation and glycan structures - degradation.
Deficiency of this enzyme is called Fucosidosis.
In CAZy, alpha-L-fucosidases are found in glycoside hydrolase family 29 and glycoside hydrolase family 95.

Structural studies

As of late 2007, 3 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes,, and.

Human medical studies

It was in a recent study by Endreffy, Bjørklund and collaborators found an association between the activity of α-L-fucosidase-1 and chronic autoimmune disorders in children. This should encourage further research on FUCA-1 as a marker of chronic inflammation and autoimmunity.