protease

[ proh-tee-eys, -eyz ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. any of a group of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolytic degradation of proteins or polypeptides to smaller amino acid polymers.

protease

/ ˈprəʊtɪˌeɪs /

noun

1. any enzyme involved in proteolysis

protease

/ prō′tē-ās′ /

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of protease¹

First recorded in 1900–05; prote(in) + -ase

Word History and Origins

Origin of protease¹

C20: from protein + -ase

Example Sentences

Pfizer says its studies similarly showed that the virus is not developing resistance to the protease inhibitor drug.

From Time

Similar protease enzymes exist in other types of coronavirus.

From MIT Technology Review

It could—the protease could conceivably evolve enough to dodge the drug.

From MIT Technology Review

In the first experiment, researchers found that the drug’s key ingredient, nirmatrelvir, was equally successful at blocking protease from Omicron and the original virus strain.

From Popular-Science

Paxlovid blocks a coronavirus protease, an enzyme the virus needs to make copies of itself.

From Washington Post

For HIV, though, real therapy began only 18 years ago with the introduction of a class of drugs, the protease inhibitors.

From The Daily Beast

The best-known example of this type of enzymes is the protease of yeast; but similar ones may be found in germinating seeds.

From Project Gutenberg