Protease Enzyme

Also known as peptidase, protease enzyme is a multifunctional enzyme with wide array of use in many industries and home chores also. It is a part of the hydrolase enzyme family which breaks down the proteins. Protease breaks the peptide bond present in the proteins and converts the protein into smaller polypeptide or amino acids making other enzymes or chemicals to degrade them very easily. 

Proteases are a very diverse type of enzyme found in nearly all living organisms, their form can be found in plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, etc. Based on their catalytic activity, they are classified in 7 types: serine protease, cysteine protease, threonine protease, aspartic protease, glutamic protease, metalloproteases, and asparagine peptide lyases.

Proteases are the key ingredients of all kinds of detergent available in the market. Apart from that, proteases are widely used in pharmaceutical, waste treatment, food & beverage, leather & wool industry, etc.

Some of the industrial usage of proteases are:

Detergent Industry: Proteins are one of the essential ingredients of the detergent making process, then whether the detergent is used for laundry or any other purpose. Of all over the world, 25% of protease enzymes are used in the detergent industry. They are used for:

• They remove the proteinaceous stains from the food like-milk, egg, meat, fish, and our own body.
• They removes blood stains.
• Help In retaining the good fabric quality.

Leather Industry: Enzymes are the alternative solution for chemicals used in leather industry and now a days proteases and other enzymes are used in leather industry for different purposes like -

• It provides the elastolytic and keratinolytic activity.
• Used in dehairing process instead of chemicals.
• Using proteases produces quality leather
• Eco-friendly

Textile Industry: Proteases are used in the fabric and wool industry because of the presence of the polypeptide chains in the raw materials. They are mainly used for:

• Biopolishing and desizing of wool.
• Biopolishing and desizing of fabrics.
• Degumming of silk.

Food Industry: Proteases have very extensive uses in the food industry like cheese making, bakery, meat processing, etc. Proteases improve the texture and shelf life of the product along with nutritional value, aroma,and digestion. Some of the benefits of using proteases are: 

• Improves meat quality and helps in meat tenderization.
• Increases digestibility and nutritional value.
• Increases the protein yield in the food.
• Preparation of gluten free or week gluten flour dough for bakery products.
• Cheese production and other dairy products.

Brewing Industry: 

• Used for the fermentation of raw materials.
• Used to remove cloudiness/haziness.
• Improves the stability.

Pharmaceutical Industry: In many different research, proteases are proved to be used for therapeutic purposes, and that’s what pharmaceutical industries are exploiting. Some of the uses of protease in the pharma industries are:

• Regulates blood coagulation and thus blood pressure.
• Used in preparation of slow-dosage form drugs.
• Used as diagnostic agent for some disorders.
• Preparation of immobilized bandages for burns and wounds

Others:

• Waste treatment
• Preparation of organic compost
• Used for the degradation of poultry waste especially feathers
• Recovering silver for photographic films for recycle