protease
[ proh-tee-eys, -eyz ]
/ ˈproʊ tiˌeɪs, -ˌeɪz /
noun Biochemistry.
any of a group of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolytic degradation of proteins or polypeptides to smaller amino acid polymers.
Words nearby protease
protasis,
prote-,
protea,
protean,
proteas,
protease,
protease inhibitor,
protease inhibitors,
protect,
protectant,
protected sex
Example sentences from the Web for protease
For HIV, though, real therapy began only 18 years ago with the introduction of a class of drugs, the protease inhibitors.
The best-known example of this type of enzymes is the protease of yeast; but similar ones may be found in germinating seeds.
The Chemistry of Plant Life |Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher
British Dictionary definitions for protease
protease
/ (ˈprəʊtɪˌeɪs) /
noun
any enzyme involved in proteolysis
Word Origin for protease
C20: from
protein +
-ase
Medical definitions for protease
protease
[ prō′tē-ās′, -āz′ ]
n.
Any of various enzymes, including the proteinases and peptidases, that catalyze the hydrolytic breakdown of proteins.
Scientific definitions for protease
protease
[ prō′tē-ās′ ]
Any of various enzymes that bring about the breakdown of proteins into peptides or amino acids by hydrolysis. Pepsin is an example of a protease.