What is "alpha-l-fucosidase"

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

an alpha-L-fucoside + HO $\rightleftharpoons$ L-fucose + an alcohol

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are alpha-L-fucoside and HO, whereas its two products are L-fucose and alcohol.

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 alpha-L-fucoside fucohydrolase. This enzyme is also called alpha-fucosidase. This enzyme participates in n-glycan degradation and glycan structures - degradation.

Deficiency of this enzyme is called Fucosidosis.

In CAZy, alpha-L-fucosidases are found in glycoside hydrolase family 29 and glycoside hydrolase family 95.