proteolysis

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

proteolysis
    n 1: the hydrolysis of proteins into peptides and amino acids by
         cleavage of their peptide bonds

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Proteolysis \Pro`te*ol"y*sis\, n. [NL. See {Proteolytic}.]
   (Physiol. Chem.)
   The digestion or dissolving of proteid matter by proteolytic
   ferments.
   [1913 Webster]