Abstract

Proteases are degradative enzymes, which catalyze the total hydrolysis of proteins. Advances in analytical techniques have demonstrated that proteases conduct highly specific and selective modifications of proteins such as the activation of zymogenic forms of enzymes by limited proteolysis blood clotting and processing and transport of secretory proteins across the membranes. The main sources of proteases are animals, plants, and microbes. Proteases from microbial sources are preferred to enzymes from plant and animal sources since they possess almost all the characteristics desired for their biotechnological applications. Proteases are further categorized as serine proteases, Aspartic proteases, cysteine proteases or metalloproteases – depending on their catalytic mechanisms. Moreover, proteases are also classified based on their pH –being acidic, neutral or alkaline proteases. Microbial proteases have numerous applications in different sectors like leather, detergent, food, photographic industry, etc.