Neutral cytosolic beta-glycosidase with a broad substrate specificity that could play a role in the catabolism of glycosylceramides (PubMed:11389701, PubMed:11784319, PubMed:20728381, PubMed:26724485, PubMed:17595169, PubMed:33361282). Has a significant glucosylceramidase activity in vitro (PubMed:26724485, PubMed:17595169). However, that activity is relatively low and its significance in vivo is not clear (PubMed:26724485, PubMed:17595169, PubMed:20728381). Hydrolyzes galactosylceramides/GalCers, glucosylsphingosines/GlcSphs and galactosylsphingosines/GalSphs (PubMed:17595169). However, the in vivo relevance of these activities is unclear (PubMed:17595169). It can also hydrolyze a broad variety of dietary glycosides including phytoestrogens, flavonols, flavones, flavanones and cyanogens in vitro and could therefore play a role in the metabolism of xenobiotics (PubMed:11784319). Possesses transxylosylase activity in vitro using xylosylated ceramides/XylCers (such as beta-D-xylosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine) as xylosyl donors and cholesterol as acceptor (PubMed:33361282). Could also play a role in the catabolism of cytosolic sialyl free N-glycans (PubMed:26193330). Hydrolysis of terminal, non-reducing beta-D-glucosyl residues with release of beta-D-glucose. a beta-D-glucosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine + H2O = an N-acylsphing-4-enine + D-glucose a beta-D-galactosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine + H2O = an N-acylsphing-4-enine + D-galactose beta-D-glucosyl-(1<->1)-sphing-4-enine + H2O = D-glucose + sphing-4-enine beta-D-glucosyl-(1<->1)-N-octadecanoylsphing-4-enine + H2O = D-glucose + N-octadecanoylsphing-4-enine beta-D-galactosyl-(1<->1)-sphing-4-enine + H2O = D-galactose + sphing-4-enine beta-D-galactosyl-(1<->1')-N-octadecanoylsphing-4-enine + H2O = D-galactose + N-octadecanoylsphing-4-enine a beta-D-xylosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine + cholesterol = an N-acylsphing-4-enine + cholesteryl 3-beta-D-xyloside Inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenyl-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). Inhibited by sodium taurocholate (PubMed:11389701). Inhibited by alpha-1-C-nonyl-DIX/AnDIX (PubMed:20728381). The glucosylceramidase activity is slightly inhibited by conduritol B epoxide/CBE while the galactosylceramidase activity is not (PubMed:17595169). kcat is 0.43 min(-1) for the hydrolysis of glucosylceramide (PubMed:17595169). kcat<0.01 min(-1) for the hydrolysis of galactosylceramide (PubMed:17595169). kcat is 7.26 min(-1) for the hydrolysis of C6-NBD-glucosylceramide (PubMed:17595169). kcat is 1.53 min(-1) for the hydrolysis of C6-NBD-galactosylceramide (PubMed:17595169). kcat is 73.75 min(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (PubMed:17595169). kcat is 94.35 min(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (PubMed:17595169). kcat is 10.7 sec(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-fucopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). kcat is 5.97 sec(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). kcat is 12.1 sec(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). kcat is 17.6 sec(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). kcat is 0.75 sec(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). kcat is 0.66 sec(-1) for the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl-beta-L-arabinopyranoside (PubMed:11784319). Optimum pH is 6.0-7.0 for the glucosylceramidase activity (PubMed:11784319, PubMed:17595169). Optimum pH is 6.0 for the hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (PubMed:20728381). Activity decreases sharply with increasing acidity and is less than 4% at pH 4 (PubMed:11784319). Optimum temperature is 50 degrees Celsius (PubMed:11784319). Stable more than 24 hours at 37 degrees Celsius (PubMed:11784319). Loses activity at 58 degrees Celsius (PubMed:11784319). May interact with NEU2. Present in small intestine (at protein level). Expressed in liver, small intestine, colon, spleen and kidney. Down-regulated in renal cell carcinomas and hepatocellular carcinomas. The N-terminus is blocked. Belongs to the glycosyl hydrolase 1 family. Klotho subfamily. GBA3 could be both a gene and a pseudogene in the human population, its representation in the current reference genome assembly corresponding to a non-functional allele with a stop codon at position 456. The sequence shown here with a Tyr at position 456 corresponds to the most frequent allele in the human population and encodes an active beta-glucosidase while the truncated protein is inactive in vitro.