Meaning & use
proteolytic
Relating to the process of breaking down proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.
See it in a sentence
Proteolytic enzymes in the stomach help digest the proteins found in meat and eggs.
Meat tenderizers work by using proteolytic enzymes to soften tough muscle fibers.
A note on using this word
Proteolytic almost always modifies 'enzyme' in scientific writing, describing enzymes such as pepsin and trypsin.
Words with a similar meaning
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