Endopeptidase

Endopeptidase or endoproteinase are proteolytic peptidases that break peptide bonds of nonterminal amino acids (i.e. within the molecule), in contrast to exopeptidases, which break peptide bonds from end-pieces of terminal amino acids.

[1] For this reason, endopeptidases cannot break down peptides into monomers, while exopeptidases can break down proteins into monomers.

A particular case of endopeptidase is the oligopeptidase, whose substrates are oligopeptides instead of proteins.

They are usually very specific for certain amino acids.

Examples of endopeptidases include: