1,2-alpha-L-fucosidase

In enzymology, a 1,2-alpha-L-fucosidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * methyl-2-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-beta-D-galactoside + H2O $$\rightleftharpoons$$ L-fucose + methyl beta-D-galactoside

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are methyl-2-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-beta-D-galactoside and H2O, whereas its two products are L-fucose and methyl beta-D-galactoside.

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 2-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-beta-D-galactoside fucohydrolase. Other names in common use include almond emulsin fucosidase, and alpha-(1->2)-L-fucosidase.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 4 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , and.