Final answer:
Chymotrypsin is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds, making it a hydrolase. Hydrolases facilitate the breaking of bonds by adding water, which is a key function in digesting proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chymotrypsin catalyzes the hydrolysis of a peptide bond and is therefore categorized as a hydrolase. Hydrolases are enzymes that catalyze the breakage of bonds with the addition of water, also known as hydrolysis. For example, chymotrypsin that specifically targets aromatic amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, facilitating the digestion of proteins by breaking down peptide bonds. This is in contrast to other types of enzymes such as lyases, which break down compounds without the addition of water, and isomerases, which catalyze the interconversion of isomers.