Proteases proteolytic enzymes or peptidases are general terms for enzymes which
catalyse the hydrolysis of certain peptide bonds in protein molecules Proteolytic enzymes can be divided into exopeptidases (which hydrolyse terminal peptide bonds) and endopeptidases (which hydrolyse peptide bonds inside the substrate molecule). Proteolytic enzymes can be further grouped according to the chemical nature of the catalytic site.