Proteases and Their Inhibitors: From Biochemistry to Applications
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2025) | Viewed by 1061
Special Issue Editor
Interests: proteases; serpins; coagulation factors; proprotein convertases; furin; regulation of virus cell entry by proteases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Proteases or peptidases are a diverse family of enzymes, universally found in all domains of life, that perform peptide bond cleavage. The MEROPS database classification of proteases organizes them into families based on their evolutionary relationships, catalytic mechanisms, and active site residues. This classification currently includes over 250 families, grouped into 7 major catalytic types (serine, cysteine, aspartic, metallo, threonine, glutamic, and mixed- or unknown-mechanism proteases) and organized within approximately 60 clans. Proteases perform their function in pair with their inhibitors, sometimes forming a regulatory network. Medically relevant protease–inhibitor pairs are essential for maintaining physiological homeostasis across processes like coagulation, immune response, tissue remodeling, apoptosis, digestion, and viral replication. The dysregulation of these pairs’ functionality often leads to diseases such as cancer, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and infections. Protease–inhibitor pairs are vital for agriculture, playing roles in plant defense, stress tolerance, crop improvement, and post-harvest management. Leveraging these systems through genetic engineering and biotechnological innovations holds significant promise for sustainable agriculture and enhanced food security. Proteases and their inhibitors are indispensable in molecular sciences due to their critical roles in health, disease, environmental, and industrial applications. Understanding their mechanisms of action and functions in diverse biological systems opens pathways for innovation and advances in biotechnology.
This Special Issue aims to compile a representative and updated survey of examples, showing progress in our understanding and commercial application of proteases and their inhibitors. It invites expert-level contributions describing how proteases and their inhibitors benefit humans and the world’s economy.
Dr. Gonzalo Izaguirre
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- proteases
- peptidases
- proteinases
- proteolysis
- hydrolysis
- enzymes
- inhibitors
- biotechnology
- drug discovery
- therapeutics
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