Proteases
Proteases are enzymes that are named as such due to its substrate - protein[1]. It breaks down proteins into smaller polypeptides or into amino acids through hydrolysis of the peptide bonds.
Protease have evolved over the years and initially was likely to have performed only its very basic function of breaking down proteins to produce amino acids in primitive organisms. However, further reasearch over the years have shown protease to catalyse highly specific reactions to produce new protein products, thus indirectly having an effect on many functions in the human body, a few examples being cell response, wound repair, ovulation, fertilisation, and immunity[2].