proteólisis

Proteólisis refers to the breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides or amino acids. This process is essential in numerous biological functions, occurring both within cells and extracellularly. Enzymes that catalyze proteolysis are known as proteases or peptidases. These enzymes are crucial for a wide range of physiological and pathological processes.

In living organisms, proteolysis plays a vital role in digestion, where dietary proteins are broken down in the gastrointestinal tract to allow for absorption of amino acids. Within cells, proteolysis is involved in protein turnover, the continuous process of degrading and synthesizing proteins, which helps regulate cellular functions and remove damaged or misfolded proteins. It is also a key mechanism in cellular signaling pathways, where the cleavage of specific proteins can activate or deactivate them.

Proteolysis is also implicated in various disease states. For instance, the dysregulation of proteolysis can contribute to conditions like cancer, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and inflammatory disorders. The targeted inhibition of specific proteases is a strategy employed in the development of therapeutic drugs for these conditions. The study of proteolysis, often referred to as "proteomics," is an active area of research in biochemistry and molecular biology.