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Welcome to CAZypedia! The Encyclopedia of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes. Now containing 91 Curator-approved GH family pages, 1 Curator-approved GT family pages(beta), and 19 Curator-approved Lexicon pages!

Purpose CAZypedia has been initiated as a community-driven resource to assemble a comprehensive encyclopedia of the "CAZymes," the carbohydrate-active enzymes and binding proteins involved in the synthesis and degradation of complex carbohydrates. CAZypedia is inspired by, and closely connected with, the actively curated CAZy Database. It's probably fair to say that CAZypedians are, like our friends at the CAZy DB, a group of "biocurators." Content CAZypedia is presently focussed on the Glycoside Hydrolase Families defined in the CAZy Database. Other catabolic and anabolic CAZymes, as well as carbohydrate-binding modules, may be included in the future. In addition, there is a lexicon of terms relevant to CAZymes and carbohydrate chemistry. These and other aspects of CAZypedia's content can be accessed through the menus on the left side of each page. How CAZypedia works CAZypedia is built on authoring and editing principles similar to those of other expert-based online encyclopedias (cf. Citizendium). All contributors to CAZypedia, from the Authors to the Board of Curators, are selected experts in the field. Transparency is achieved through the use of contributors' real names and published biographies in CAZypedia. Individual entries in CAZypedia are managed by Responsible Curators, who are responsible for selecting expert Authors and coordinating author contributions on individual pages. Selection of Responsible Curators, based on their specialist expertise and ability to participate in the active maintenance of entry content, is handled by the Senior Curators. More information on CAZypedia's content and editorial policies is available here. A short lecture and a set of slides presenting CAZypedia are freely available here. Contact If you would like to contact the Board of Curators to get involved with CAZypedia or suggest an improvement, please use this form.

Latest news Attention CAZymologists! Upcoming conferences: Registration is now open for the 2013 Gordon Research Conference on Cellulosomes, Cellulases & Other Carbohydrate Modifying Enzymes. Follow the link for more information, including the schedule of world-leading speakers. Junior scientists are especially encouraged to attend the affiliated Gordon Research Seminar. Fifth Symposium on the Alpha-Amylase Family - ALAMY_5, October 20-24, Smolenice Castle, Slovakia. 2 May 2013: Adding on to the Lexicon: Today Spencer Williams added the finishing touches to the Lexicon page on Transglycosylases. Transglycosylation - the ability to non-hydrolytically rearrange glycosidic bonds between one or more substrates - is a feature of many Glycoside hydrolases, especially those which use the retaining mechanism. In such enzymes, the covalent glycosyl-enzyme reaction intermediate can be intercepted by either water (yielding hydrolysis) or a sugar "acceptor" substrate (yielding transglycosylation). Although transglycosylation is generally a side activity of retaining enzymes, a handful are naturally very predominant Transglycosylases. See the Lexicon page to learn more, including specific examples! > older news

Dedication CAZypedia is dedicated to the late Prof. Bruce Stone, whose enthusiasm to create a comprehensive encyclopedia of carbohydrate-active enzymes was essential in the genesis of this project.