What are the differences between hydrolase and transferase?

Question

Accepted Answer

Basis of differentiation

Hydrolase

Transferase

Definition

Hydrolases are enzymes which use water to cleave covalent bonds in compounds

Transferases are enzymes which catalyze the transfer of functional groups from one molecule to another

Mechanism

Breaks chemical bonds via hydrolysis by adding water molecules

Transfers specific  functional groups without changing the group’s chemical structure (donor to acceptor molecules)

Chemical reaction

A–B + H2O → A–OH + B–H    (A–B represents a chemical bond of unspecified molecules)

A–X + B → A + B–X
(A-X represents the donor molecule (A) attached to a specific functional group (X), B represents the acceptor molecule)

Examples

Lisases, peptidases, and phosphatases

Methyltransferases, acetyltransferases, and glycosyltransferases

Specificity

Specific to the type of bond cleaved in a substrate

Specific to the type of functional group transferred between molecules

Basis of differentiation	Hydrolase	Transferase
Definition	Hydrolases are enzymes which use water to cleave covalent bonds in compounds	Transferases are enzymes which catalyze the transfer of functional groups from one molecule to another
Mechanism	Breaks chemical bonds via hydrolysis by adding water molecules	Transfers specific functional groups without changing the group’s chemical structure (donor to acceptor molecules)
Chemical reaction	A–B + H2O → A–OH + B–H (A–B represents a chemical bond of unspecified molecules)	A–X + B → A + B–X (A-X represents the donor molecule (A) attached to a specific functional group (X), B represents the acceptor molecule)
Examples	Lisases, peptidases, and phosphatases	Methyltransferases, acetyltransferases, and glycosyltransferases
Specificity	Specific to the type of bond cleaved in a substrate	Specific to the type of functional group transferred between molecules