isomerase

American  

[ahy-som-uh-reys, -reyz] / aɪˈsɒm əˌreɪs, -ˌreɪz /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. any of a class of enzymes that catalyze reactions involving intramolecular rearrangements.

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isomerase British  

/ aɪˈsɒməreɪs /

noun

1. any enzyme that catalyses the conversion of one isomeric form of a compound to another

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Etymology

Origin of isomerase

First recorded in 1940–45; isomer + -ase

Example Sentences

Another enzyme produced by the bacteria, known as arabinose isomerase, then converts the galactose into tagatose.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

An isomerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of a molecule into one of its isomers.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Furthermore, the authors observed that the flies with their natural microbiota and those that had been treated to remove gut bacteria but had received xylose isomerase both walked faster if they received octopamine.

From Nature • Oct. 23, 2018

Schretter et al. found that the walking activity of flies that lacked gut bacteria but had been given xylose isomerase was increased by activation of the genes encoding enzymes needed for the synthesis of octopamine.

From Nature • Oct. 23, 2018

In the next step of the first phase of glycolysis, the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate isomerase converts glucose-6-phosphate into fructose-6-phosphate.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013