Cysteine proteases from plants and its applications

Abstract

Cysteine proteases are by everywhere in nature, in the plants they perform multiple functions associated with growth and development. This chapter addresses the essential aspects associated with the main botanical families studied by the presence of these enzymes, their classification in clans, families and subfamilies, and other subgroups; fundamental structural features associated with each group and their relationship with the mechanism of action; the main functions that they perform in plants and applications they have today in social life, as well as other potentialities that systematically study can provide. In general remarks the principal applications and potentialities of these enzymes are shown, especially of those more studied: papain and bromelain. It is posible to easily identify the major sources of information about cysteine proteases in web databases; also a general bibliography about the theme supports these comments, useful for those academics interested in deeper knowledge about these interesting enzymes.