What is "sucrase"

n. (context biochemistry English) Any of a number of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of sucrose to fructose and glucose.

n. an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into glucose and fructose [syn: invertase, saccharase]

Sucrase is a digestive enzyme secreted in the intestine. Sucrase enzymes are located on the brush border of the small intestine. The enzymes catalyze the hydrolysis of sucrose to fructose and glucose. The sucrase enzyme invertase, which occurs more commonly in plants, also hydrolyzes sucrose but by a different mechanism.