peptidases

1 definition found

peptidases - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  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]