A hydrophobic platform as a mechanistically relevant transition state stabilising factor appears to be present in the active centre of all glycoside hydrolases.

An in silico survey of the -1 subsite of all known 3D-structures of O-glycoside hydrolases containing a suitably positioned ligand has led to the recognition -- apparently without exceptions -- of a transition state stabilising hydrophobic platform which is complementary to a crucial hydrophobic patch of the ligand. This platform is family-specific and highly conserved. A comprehensive list is given with examples of enzymes belonging to 33 different families. Several typical constellations of platform - protein residues are described.