What is "triphosphatase"

n. (context biochemistry English) An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of triphosphate into a phosphate and a diphosphate through the addition of a water molecule

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

triphosphate + HO $\rightleftharpoons$ diphosphate + phosphate

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are triphosphate and HO, whereas its two products are diphosphate and phosphate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, specifically those acting on acid anhydrides in phosphorus-containing anhydrides. The systematic name of this enzyme class is triphosphate phosphohydrolase. This enzyme is also called inorganic triphosphatase.