Protease (noun)

A type of enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.

Origin:

Early 20th century: from protein + -ase.

Examples:

1. Proteases are important for digestion, breaking down ingested proteins into their constituent amino acids.
2. In some viruses, proteases play a crucial role in the replication cycle by cleaving the viral polyprotein into its functional components.
3. Proteases also have a number of industrial and medical applications, including in the production of food and beverages and in the treatment of certain medical conditions.
4. Inhibitors of proteases are often used as drugs, as they can block the action of specific proteases and therefore treat a range of diseases.
5. In biotechnology, proteases are used in a range of applications, including protein purification, sequencing, and analysis.