Ficain
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Ficain also known as ficin, debricin, or higueroxyl delabarre (EC 3.4.22.3) is a proteolytic enzyme extracted from the latex sap from the stems, leaves, and unripe fruit of the American wild fig tree Ficus insipida.[1][2][3][4]
Ficain was originally called ficin, and ficin was originally a mixture of closely related cysteine endopeptidases produced from any species of the genus Ficus, before the terminology was restricted to a specific cysteine endopeptidase enzyme from a specific species.
Cysteine endopeptidases are a group of enzymes that also include the more distantly related papain derived from papaya latex, bromelase (bromelain) extracted from pineapple stem, calpain, caspases, cathepsin B, and chymopapain.[5] Cysteine endopeptidases with similar properties known generically as ficins are present in other members of the genus Ficus, and many species appear to contain multiple types of these enzymes. Somewhat confusingly, the terms ficain and ficin are often treated as synonyms.
Ficain is in the MEROPS clan CA, family C1, subfamily C1A, peptidase C01.006.[5]