Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Serine protease: A protease that uses the -CH₂OH side chain of a serine residue to hydrolyze the peptide bond.

Chymotrypsin H2O

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Chymotrypsin, a serine protease, hydrolyzes the peptide bond between the carbonyl group of a phenylalanine residue (shown in red) and the adjacent amino acid.


Mechanism for chymotrypsin hydrolysis of a peptide bond. Serine's CH₂OH group serves as a nucleophile in a nucleophilic carbonyl substitution process.