Proteases are a group of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in proteins, breaking them down into smaller peptides or amino acids. They are crucial for various biological processes, including digestion, immune response, cell signaling, and protein turnover. Proteases are classified based on their catalytic mechanism into four major types: serine proteases, cysteine proteases, aspartic proteases, and metalloproteases.
