CAZy

CAZy, short for Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes Database, is an online resource that catalogs enzymes involved in the synthesis, modification, and breakdown of complex carbohydrates. It provides a classification system based on amino acid sequence similarities, organizing enzymes into families that share structural folds and catalytic mechanisms. The database groups families into five main classes: glycoside hydrolases (GHs), glycosyltransferases (GTs), polysaccharide lyases (PLs), carbohydrate esterases (CEs), and auxiliary activities (AAs). In addition, modules that bind carbohydrates, known as carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), are tracked and described in relation to their associated catalytic domains.

For each family, CAZy curators compile data from the scientific literature, including known enzymatic activities, catalytic mechanisms, substrate specificities, representative sequences, and, when available, structural information and linked UniProt and PDB entries. The database is widely used to annotate genomes and metagenomes, study enzyme evolution, and guide biotechnological applications such as biomass conversion and carbohydrate processing.

CAZy is maintained by a team of experts who regularly update the content to reflect new discoveries. While comprehensive, the database relies on published data and may not capture all functional annotations for yet-unclear or newly discovered enzymes; assignments can evolve with new evidence.