PROTEASE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does protease mean? 

• PROTEASE (noun)
  The noun PROTEASE has 1 sense:

1. any enzyme that catalyzes the splitting of proteins into smaller peptide fractions and amino acids by a process known as proteolysis

  Familiarity information: PROTEASE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROTEASE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any enzyme that catalyzes the splitting of proteins into smaller peptide fractions and amino acids by a process known as proteolysis

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

peptidase; protease; proteinase; proteolytic enzyme

Hypernyms ("protease" is a kind of...):

enzyme (any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "protease"):

caspase (any of a group of proteases that mediate apoptosis)

ACE; angiotensin-converting enzyme; angiotensin converting enzyme (proteolytic enzyme that converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II)

plasminogen activator; urokinase (protease produced in the kidney that converts plasminogen to plasmin and so initiates fibrinolysis)

renin (a proteolytic enzyme secreted by the kidneys; catalyzes the formation of angiotensin and thus affects blood pressure)

 Context examples 

APP in the ER is cleaved at residue 17 by alpha-secretase protease activity encoded by ADAM-10 and TACE.

(Amyloid Beta-Peptide Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

The caspases are a class of cysteine proteases that includes several representatives involved in apoptosis.

(Apoptosis DNA Damage Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

From there, binding of factor B (Fb) and activation by factor D (Fd) cleaves factor B to create the active protease C3 convertase (AP convertase).

(Alternative Complement Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

This protein has activity as a protease inhibitor.

(Alpha-2-Macroglobulin, NCI Thesaurus)

Another apoptosis activated protease is endonuclease G, EndoG.

(Apoptotic DNA Fragmentation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

One protease is a furin-like enzyme that cleaves Notch constitutively adjacent to the amino acid sequence RQRR in the extracellular domain.

(Notch Proteolysis and Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Plasma serine protease inhibitor (406 aa, ~46 kDa) is encoded by the human SERPINA5 gene.

(Plasma Serine Protease Inhibitor, NCI Thesaurus)

A pegylated form of a thermostable and protease resistant peptide targeting human vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) with potential antiangiogenic activity.

(Pegdinetanib, NCI Thesaurus)

Proteasomes are large protease complexes that degrade unneeded or damaged proteins that have been ubiquitinated.

(Oprozomib, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, AAT enhances levels of cAMP and activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A. AAT, a 52kD protein and serine protease inhibitor, belongs to the serpin superfamily.

(Alpha-1-Proteinase Inhibitor Human, NCI Thesaurus)