isomerase

American

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

noun

Biochemistry.

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

isomerase British

/ aɪˈsɒməreɪs /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of isomerase

First recorded in 1940–45; isomer + -ase

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

isomerase

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

In the fifth step, an isomerase transforms the dihydroxyacetone-phosphate into its isomer, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Perhaps this means that xylose isomerase decreases the availability of a glucose substrate needed for the synthesis of trehalose.

From Nature ● Oct. 23, 2018

How does xylose isomerase cause D. melanogaster to slow down?

From Nature ● Oct. 23, 2018

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023