The serine hydrolase superfamily is one of the largest known enzyme families comprising approximately 1% of the genes in the human genome. This family includes:

• serine proteases like trypsin
• lipases like pancreatic lipase, hormone sensitive lipase, and triacylglycerol lipase
• esterases
• acetylcholinesterase
• thioesterases
• certain phospholipases like phospholipase A2
• some amidases like fatty acid amide hydrolase

all of these enzymes share a catalytic mechanism that involves a catalytic triad consisting of a serine nucleophile that is activated by a proton relay involving an acidic residue (e.g. aspartate or glutamate) and a basic residue (usually histidine) although variations on this mechanism exist.

See also

• Enzyme
• List of enzymes
• Ester
• Amide
• Thioester
• Activity based proteomics