Definition of "subtilisin" []

• An extracellular enzyme produced by certain strains of a soil bacterium (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) that catalyzes the breakdown of proteins into polypeptides and resembles trypsin in its action. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "P. dendritiformis also secretes a protein called subtilisin, which promotes growth, except in high concentrations."
• "Bacteria use the enzyme, called subtilisin, as a sort of food processor: After producing it internally, they release the enzyme into the soil, where it uses a minuscule "blade" to chop up proteins into digestible pieces."
• "Nakayama K (1997) Furin: a mammalian subtilisin/Kex2p-like endoprotease involved in processing of a wide variety of precursor proteins."