Which class of enzymes catalyzes hydrolysis reactions?

Hydrolases are the class of enzymes specifically responsible for catalyzing hydrolysis reactions, a process where water is used to break down a compound. In these reactions, a substrate is cleaved into two parts, with the addition of water leading to the formation of two new molecules. This is a crucial biochemical process involved in various metabolic pathways, including the digestion of food and the breakdown of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

The specificity of hydrolases lies in their ability to recognize certain bonds within larger molecules and facilitate their cleavage using water, which differentiates them from other classes of enzymes. For instance, ligases join two molecules together rather than breaking them apart, isomerases rearrange the components within a molecule without adding or removing water, and transferases transfer a functional group from one molecule to another rather than catalyzing the hydrolysis of a substrate. Therefore, the defining characteristic of hydrolases is their role in hydrolysis, making them the correct answer in this context.