What is the function of the enzyme pepsin?

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What is the function of the enzyme pepsin?

Pepsin is the stomach’s protease, meaning its job is to digest proteins. It is released as pepsinogen by chief cells and activated by the acidic gastric juice (HCl). In the highly acidic environment of the stomach, pepsin cleaves peptide bonds in proteins, starting the breakdown into smaller peptide fragments. It works best at a very low pH, around 1.5–2.0. This function is specific to proteins, not carbohydrates, lipids, or nucleic acids, which are handled by other enzymes (amylases for carbs, lipases for fats, nucleases for nucleic acids).

Pepsin is the stomach’s protease, meaning its job is to digest proteins. It is released as pepsinogen by chief cells and activated by the acidic gastric juice (HCl). In the highly acidic environment of the stomach, pepsin cleaves peptide bonds in proteins, starting the breakdown into smaller peptide fragments. It works best at a very low pH, around 1.5–2.0. This function is specific to proteins, not carbohydrates, lipids, or nucleic acids, which are handled by other enzymes (amylases for carbs, lipases for fats, nucleases for nucleic acids).

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