This invention relates to isolated or recombinant N-carbobenzyloxy-deprotecting enzyme polypeptides, and variants and fragments thereof, that catalyze the removal of carbobenzyloxy from carbobenzyloxy-protected amino acids and alcohols. Also related are isolated nucleic acids encoding N-carbobenzyloxy-deprotecting enzyme polypeptides, and variants, and fragments thereof, as well as vectors and host cells comprising these nucleic acids. The invention also relates to methods of obtaining isolated nucleic acids, polypeptides, and antibodies, and methods of using the polypeptides in various reactions for industrial or pharmaceutical applications.