What is "gluconolactonase"

n. (context enzyme English) A hydrolase enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction ''D-glucono-1,5-lactone + H₂O $rightleftharpoons$ D-gluconate''.

In enzymology, a gluconolactonase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

D-glucono-1,5-lactone + HO $\rightleftharpoons$ D-gluconate

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are D-glucono-1,5-lactone and HO, whereas its product is D-gluconate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, specifically those acting on carboxylic ester bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is D-glucono-1,5-lactone lactonohydrolase. Other names in common use include lactonase, aldonolactonase, glucono-delta-lactonase, and gulonolactonase. This enzyme participates in 3 metabolic pathways: pentose phosphate pathway, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, and caprolactam degradation.