Enzymes are classified into six categories based on the types of reaction catalyzed, that is, oxidoreductase, transferase, hydrolase, lyase, ligase, and isomerase, according to the Enzyme Commission, International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Individual enzymes are further classified systematically based on the chemical name of the substance modified by the enzyme (substrate) and its reaction mechanism. Enzymes are named with the use of letters and numbers: EC plus four numbers representing four elements. For example, 1,4-α-D-Glucan glucanohydrolase (common name: α-amylase) is named as EC 3.2.1.1.
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