ABSTRACT
Proteases have a wide range of functions in nature. Proteases are degradative enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of proteins. Commercial proteases have application in a range of processes, which take advantage of the unique physical and catalytic properties of individual proteolytic enzyme. Since proteases are physiologically essential for living organisms, they are ubiquitous, being found in a wide diversity of sources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Serine proteases are characterized by the presence of a serine group in their active site. Cysteine proteases occur in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. About 20 families of cysteine proteases have been recognized. Proteases have a large variety of applications, mainly in the detergent and food industries. Marketed value of microbial protease was 89 % in detergent industry, 8% in rennet, about 1% each in baking, leather and in miscellaneous industries. Microbial proteases are produced from a wide variety of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes.
