From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Hydrolytic enzymes break down protein, carbohydrate, and fat molecules into their simplest units. The hydrolysis of polymers by hydrolytic enzymes results in free monomers.
During hydrolysis (hydro-,"water";lysis-,"break") a water molecule is added to the polymer and cleaves the covalent bond holding the two monomers. The reverse of a hydrolysis reaction is a condensation reaction.
