Carbohydrate esterases are a group of enzymes which release acyl or alkyl groups attached by ester linkage to carbohydrates. The CAZy database, which classifies enzymes that assemble, modify, and break down carbohydrates and glycoconjugates, classifies all carbohydrate esterases into 16 families. This chapter is an overview of the research for nearly 50 years around the main groups of carbohydrate esterases dealing with the degradation of polysaccharides, their main biochemical and molecular traits, as well as its application for the synthesis of high added value esters.
Keywords: Acetyl xylan esterases; Carbohydrate esterases; Chitin deacetylases; Ester synthesis; Feruloyl esterases; Pectinesterases; Polysaccharide degradation.