微生物蛋白酶是由包括细菌和真菌在内的多种微生物分泌的酶，由于其在食品和制药行业的广泛应用而引起了人们的广泛关注。此外，某些蛋白酶还被用于皮肤保健品和化妆品的开发。本文从微生物蛋白酶的分类、来源、性质和应用方面对微生物蛋白酶进行了综述。此外，还回顾了不同的药理学和分子研究。微生物蛋白酶，如蜘蛛酶、胶原酶、弹性蛋白和纳豆激酶，参与膳食蛋白质的消化，具有多种生物活性，以及​​它们潜在的抗炎、抗癌、抗血栓和免疫调节作用。此外，还讨论了它们控制感染和治疗各种疾病的能力。最后，本综述强调了微生物蛋白酶在生物技术和生物医学中的潜在应用和未来前景，并提出进一步研究，以开发利用微生物资源进行疾病控制和健康促进策略的新视角。© 2023。作者，独家许可给 Springer-Verlag GmbH 德国（施普林格自然的一部分）。

Microbial proteases are enzymes secreted by a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, and have attracted significant attention due to their versatile applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, certain proteases have been used in the development of skin health products and cosmetics. This article provides a review of microbial proteases in terms of their classification, sources, properties, and applications. Moreover, different pharmacological and molecular investigations have been reviewed. Various biological activities of microbial proteases, such as Arazyme, collagenase, elastin, and Nattokinase, which are involved in the digestion of dietary proteins, as well as their potential anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antithrombotic, and immunomodulatory effects have been included. Furthermore, their ability to control infections and treat various disorders has been discussed. Finally, this review highlights the potential applications and future perspectives of microbial proteases in biotechnology and biomedicine, and proposes further studies to develop new perspectives for disease control and health-promoting strategies using microbial resources.© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.