Biology CLEP Prep Practice Exam

The degradation of proteins is carried out by:

1. Nucleases

2. Amylases

3. Proteases

4. Lipases

The correct answer is: Proteases

Proteins are long chains of amino acids linked together. In order to use these amino acids to perform various functions in the body, the proteins must be broken down into smaller units. This process is called protein degradation. Out of the four options, only proteases specifically target proteins for degradation. Nucleases break down nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA, amylases break down carbohydrates, and lipases break down lipids. Therefore, options A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not target proteins for degradation.