Protease
Other names: Protease, Peptidase, Proteinase
Harm score: 2 (Derivatives of natural substances)
Protease, or also protease, peptidase or proteinase, is a type of enzyme that breaks proteins into smaller molecules - peptides or amino acids. It is a type of hydrolase, an enzyme that carries out hydrolysis, i.e. degradation in the presence of water. Proteins are the key building blocks of living organisms, and proteases play a vital role in many biological processes, including digestion, cell signalling, cell growth and development, immune response and many others.
Proteases find their applications in a variety of industries and products that are present in our daily lives. In the food industry, for example, they are used in the production of cheese, where they support the ripening process, or in brewing, where they help break down proteins in cereals into amino acids that are needed for yeast growth. They also play an important role in the detergent industry, where they are added to washing powders because of their ability to break down proteins and thus remove protein-containing stains. In addition, proteases are used in the pharmaceutical industry in the research of new drugs, particularly in the field of cancer treatment, where efforts are being made to exploit their ability to regulate cell growth and development. Great potential is also seen in the field of biotechnology, where proteases could assist in the process of protein recycling and bioethanol production.
Protease can be found in the following products
