* * *
Descriptive term for proteolytic enzymes, both endopeptidases and exopeptidases; enzymes that hydrolize (break) polypeptide chains.
- Lon p. (pro′te-as) an enzyme that degrades a bacterial protein and stops cell division until chromosomal repair is completed.
- tricorn p. a p. found in organisms lacking membrane-bound compartments that forms the core of a modular proteolytic system used to generate multicatalytic activities in a controlled manner.
* * *
pro·te·ase 'prōt-ē-.ās, -.āz n any of numerous enzymes that hydrolyze proteins and are classified according to the most prominent functional group (as serine or cysteine) at the active site called also proteinase compare PEPTIDASE
* * *
n.
any enzyme that catalyses the splitting of a protein. See also proteolytic enzyme.
* * *
pro·te·ase (proґte-ās) endopeptidase.Medical dictionary. 2011.