Hydrolyases

These enzymes (code EC 3) catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of C-O, C-N, C-C and some other bonds, including phosphoric anhydride bonds.  Their trivial names  are formed by adding  the suffix 'ase '  to the substrate which they hydrolyze. Examples include protease,  nuclease, phosphatase. A  number of hydrolases acting on  ester, glycosyl, peptide, amide or other bonds are known to catalyze not only the hydrolytic removal of a particular group from their substrates, but also the transfer of this group to a suitable acceptor molecule. Yet, they are not grouped as transferases, because the transfer of a specific group to water as the acceptor molecule is considered  to be their main  physiological function.