Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A cellular protein complex consisting of proteolytic enzymes that mainly degrade endogenous proteins that are damaged, pathogenic, or no longer necessary, such as cyclins.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun biochemistry A complex protein, found in bacterial, archeal and eukaryotic cells, that breaks down other proteins via proteolysis.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of earlier prosome (influenced by protease) : pro(grammed), from the earlier belief that proteasomes played a role in regulating messenger RNA translation + –some.]

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    May 17, 2018