What does protease mean?
A protease is an enzyme that cuts proteins into smaller pieces. It does this by breaking chemical bonds called peptide bonds, which connect amino acids together in protein molecules. Proteases occur naturally in many organisms and carry out essential functions in digestion, blood clotting, cell signaling, and the breakdown of damaged cellular components. Their activity is also important in medicine: drugs called protease inhibitors can block the action of specific proteases, including certain enzymes produced by HIV. The word is primarily used in biochemistry, molecular biology, medicine, and related technical fields. Although a protease breaks proteins down, it is itself a protein, since enzymes are generally made from protein molecules. The term combines the root associated with proteins with the enzyme suffix -ase.
nounA protease is an enzyme that breaks proteins down into smaller molecules by cleaving the peptide bonds between amino acids. Proteases act on proteins and are important in digestion, cell regulation, and many biological and industrial processes.
- An enzyme that hydrolyzes proteins by breaking the peptide bonds between amino acids.
"The doctor explained that the medication was a protease inhibitor, designed to block the breakdown of a particular viral protein."
"Proteases in the digestive system help break dietary proteins into smaller molecules that the body can absorb."
"Researchers developed a protease inhibitor that prevents the viral enzyme from processing its target protein."
The plural is used when referring to more than one protease or to the class of enzymes collectively.
"Several proteases are involved in breaking down damaged proteins in the cell."
Proteases are molecular scissors: they cut proteins into pieces that cells can repair, use, or recycle.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does protease come from?
The word protease is formed from the combining form associated with protein, ultimately related to Greek prōtos, meaning “first,” and the enzyme suffix -ase, which was used to indicate a catalytic substance. The formation reflects the enzyme’s role in breaking proteins into smaller components. Its relatives include protein, proteolysis, and proteolytic.
Related word forms
How protease is actually used
Usually used in technical and scientific contexts, especially biochemistry, medicine, and molecular biology. In pharmacology, the term commonly appears in the names of drugs that inhibit viral or cellular proteases.