Microbial Metabolism Practice Test

Proteases are enzymes that break peptide bonds in proteins, speeding up proteolysis. Another name for these enzymes is peptidases, since they act on peptide bonds to produce smaller peptides or amino acids. This covers both endopeptidases, which cut within the protein chain, and exopeptidases, which trim from the ends. The other options correspond to different substrate targets: lipases digest lipids, amylases break down carbohydrates like starches, and nucleases cleave nucleic acids. So peptidases (proteases) specifically describe enzymes that degrade proteins.