protolysis

The term "protolysis" refers to a proton-transfer reaction. This is a core concept in acid-base chemistry, where a proton (H⁺) is transferred from one chemical species to another. While the bare proton (H⁺) cannot exist in detectable concentrations in solution, acid-base reactions are understood as the transfer of a proton from an acid (A₁) to a base (B₂), forming a new base (B₁) and a new acid (A₂).12

A specific type of protolysis is proteolysis, which is the hydrolysis of proteins or peptides, breaking them down into simpler products. This process is carried out by proteolytic enzymes and is essential for breaking down food proteins in the digestive system and for cellular maintenance within organisms. Hydrolysis itself is the scission of a molecule by reaction with water, inserting elements of water into the products.345