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protease ['prəʊtieiz] n
med. A type of enzyme that breaks down proteins into smaller proteins or smaller protein units, such as peptides or amino acids. HIV protease cuts up large precursor proteins into smaller proteins. These smaller proteins combine with HIV's genetic material to form a new HIV virus. Protease inhibitors PIs prevent HIV from replicating by blocking protease. see also life cycle, maturation, protease inhibitor