peptidaser

Peptidaser is not a standard term in contemporary biochemistry. In formal nomenclature, enzymes that hydrolyze peptide bonds are called peptidases or proteases. Some writers or fictional contexts occasionally use peptidaser as an informal synonym for a peptidase or as a proposed nonstandard subclass of enzymes that act on peptides.

Because peptidaser is not an established category, its meaning is open to interpretation. It may be used as a misnomer for peptidase, or it could refer to a hypothetical enzyme specialized for short peptides (such as dipeptides or tripeptides) that release free amino acids. Alternatively, some discussions might use the term to distinguish enzymes that act specifically on oligopeptides from those that cleave longer polypeptides. In any case, the term is not recognized as a formal enzyme class in current biochemical nomenclature.

If a term like peptidaser is encountered in literature, it typically would be compared to peptidases more broadly. In standard biology, peptide bond hydrolysis is carried out by peptidases (EC numbers beginning with 3.4) and is categorized by mechanism (serine proteases, metalloproteases, cysteine proteases, aspartic proteases) and by substrate type (endopeptidases vs. exopeptidases such as aminopeptidases and carboxypeptidases). A hypothetical or nonstandard use of peptidaser would need explicit definition by the author to avoid confusion.

Natural roles of peptidase activity include digestion, protein turnover, and peptide signaling. Industrial applications of real peptidases span food processing, detergents, fermentation, and peptide synthesis. See also peptidase, protease, exopeptidase, endopeptidase.