What is the Difference Between Protease and Proteinase?

Protease and proteinase are both enzymes that degrade proteins by hydrolyzing peptide bonds. However, there are some differences between the two:

1. Substrate specificity: Proteases can be classified as endo-peptidases or exo-peptidases, while proteinases are a type of protease that specifically cleave internal peptide links. Proteinases show specificity for intact proteins.
2. Enzyme type: Proteinase K is a subtilisin-type protease, which cleaves at the carboxyl side of hydrophobic, aliphatic, and aromatic amino acids. It is particularly suitable for short digestion times and possesses a high specific activity over a wide range of temperatures and pH values. Protease, on the other hand, is a broad-specificity serine protease with high activity, cleaving preferentially at neutral and acidic residues.
3. Applications: Proteinase K is mainly used for protein digestion and eliminating contamination from nucleic acid precipitates. Protease, in contrast, plays a key role in multiple biological functions, such as digestion of ingested proteins and protein catabolism.

In summary, proteases and proteinases are both protein-cleaving enzymes, but they differ in their substrate specificity, enzyme types, and applications. Proteinases are a type of protease with specificity for intact proteins, while proteases can be further classified into endo-peptidases or exo-peptidases based on their actions on peptide bonds.

Comparative Table: Protease vs Proteinase

Protease and proteinase are both enzymes that cleave peptide bonds in proteins, but they have some differences in their functions and applications. Here is a table summarizing the differences between protease and proteinase:

Both protease and proteinase are used in various industries and physiological functions, but proteinase is a specific type of protease that cleaves internal peptide links, while protease has a broader range of functions in biological systems.