Which pancreatic enzyme is responsible for converting procarboxypeptidase A and B?

The pancreatic enzyme responsible for converting procarboxypeptidase A and B into their active forms is trypsin. Trypsin is a serine protease that is activated in the small intestine and plays a crucial role in the protein digestion process.

When trypsin is activated from its precursor, trypsinogen, it not only acts on proteins to break them down into smaller peptides but also has the important function of activating other pancreatic zymogens, including procarboxypeptidase A and B. These are proenzymes that require activation to perform their digestive functions. Specifically, trypsin cleaves the inactive procarboxypeptidases, converting them into their active forms (carboxypeptidase A and B), which are then able to hydrolyze the carboxyl-terminal amino acids from peptides.

This activation cascade is essential for the efficient digestion of dietary proteins in the intestine, demonstrating the critical role of trypsin in the digestive process.