Biological process

GO:0044254, GO:0044257

cellular protein breakdown, cellular protein catabolic process, cellular protein catabolism, cellular protein degradation, protein breakdown, protein catabolism, protein degradation

The chemical reactions and pathways resulting in the breakdown of a protein by the destruction of the native, active configuration, with or without the hydrolysis of peptide bonds.

pheromone catabolic process, pheromone catabolism

This term refers to the breakdown of mature proteins. For cleavage events involved in generating a mature protein from a precursor, consider instead the term 'protein maturation ; GO:0051604' and its children.