protease

1. (biochemistry) An enzyme that cuts or cleaves proteins.Examples: "As a matter of fact the casein protease digests boiled and coagulated serum far more easily than unboiled serum, as set forth by the following experiments."; "All were tested for their ability to clot milk and to hydrolyze denatured hemoglobin, egg albumin, protamine (salmon), histone (calf thymus), and benzoyl-l-arginineamide. In no case was any trace of protease activity detected."; "For our purposes, it is sufficient to note that dysregulation of desquamatory protease activity in the SC is often involved in conditions of compromised skin barrier."