Question

What is a peptidase?

Answer 1

Peptidase:

1. These are enzymes that cleave a long chain of proteins by breaking down peptide bonds with the help of water.
2. Cleavage of peptide bonds leads to conversions of a long chain of proteins to a smaller chain of proteins or conversion of proteins to amino acids.
3. Amino acids are the last precursors obtained from the action of peptidase enzyme, and these are recycled and used during the growth and remodeling and also in modification of proteins.
4. Hence Peptidase is also called protease, proteinase, or proteolytic enzyme.
5. Peptidases are produced in the stomach, small intestine, and pancreas helps in digestion process.

There are two types of peptidase enzymes based on the location of peptide bond cleavage. They are as follows:

1. Endopeptidases

• It break bonds between the internal amino acids.
• Example: Enzymes produced by a digestive system such as chymotrypsin, pepsin, trypsin, and papain.

2. Exopeptidases -

• It breaks terminal peptide bond in a peptide chain.
• Example: Aminopeptidase, prolinase, carboxypeptidase A and B.