Proteins are primarily digested by which enzyme?

Proteins are primarily digested by enzymes known as proteases, with pepsin and trypsin being two key examples. While both pepsin and trypsin play essential roles in protein digestion, trypsin is specifically produced in the pancreas and functions in the small intestine, continuing the process of breaking down proteins that began in the stomach with pepsin.

Trypsin is particularly effective at cleaving protein chains into smaller peptides, which can then be further digested into amino acids by additional enzymes. This makes trypsin a crucial enzyme for protein digestion, especially in the latter stages of the digestive process after pepsin has initiated the breakdown.

The other enzymes mentioned focus on different macronutrients: amylase digests carbohydrates, lipase digests fats, and does not play a role in protein digestion. Therefore, trypsin is recognized as a primary enzyme responsible for the digestion of proteins because of its specific action and location in the digestive system.