Proteases

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Hydrolase \Hy"dro*lase\, n. [Hydrolysis + -ase.]
     1. (Chem.) an enzyme which causes the splitting of a chemical
        bond with the addition of the elements of water; a
        hydrolytic enzyme. Formerly called a {hydrolytic ferment}.
  
     Note: There are many known hydrolases, including nearly all


           of the digestive enzymes. Among the hydrolases are the
           {esterases}, which split ester bonds and {amidases},
           which split amide bonds, and among the latter are the
           {proteases} and {peptidases}, which split peptide
           bonds, such as those found in proteins.
           [PJC]