Endopeptidase vs. Exopeptidase

Endopeptidasenoun

(enzyme) Any of a group of enzymes, such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin and elastase, which catalyze the splitting of polypeptide chains away from the ends

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.

Exopeptidasenoun

(enzyme) Any of a group of enzymes which catalyze the removal of a single amino acid from the end of a polypeptide chain

Exopeptidase

An exopeptidase is any peptidase that catalyzes the cleavage of the terminal (or the penultimate) peptide bond; the process releases a single amino acid or dipeptide from the peptide chain. Depending on whether the amino acid is released from the amino or the carboxy terminal, an exopeptidase is further classified as an aminopeptidase or a carboxypeptidase, respectively.