polymerase

[ pol-uh-muh-reys, -reyz ]

nounBiochemistry.

any of several enzymes that catalyze the formation of a long-chain molecule by linking smaller molecular units, as nucleotides with nucleic acids.

Origin of polymerase

First recorded in 1955–60; polymer + -ase

Compare DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase.

Words Nearby polymerase

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use polymerase in a sentence

PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, a technique that amplifies trace amounts of virus DNA.
They relied on rapid coronavirus tests to gather safely. Some wish they hadn’t. | Katie Shepherd | January 18, 2022 | Washington Post
When it is inserted into a growing strand of RNA, it slows the polymerase, eventually causing it to grind to a halt, much like a car entering an intersection as the traffic light turns yellow may stop in the middle of the intersection, he says.
A new antiviral pill cuts COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates | Tina Hesman Saey | October 1, 2021 | Science News
Molnupiravir instead pockmarks the RNA with many mutations, causing the breakdown of the polymerase and other viral components, much like a pothole-strewn road can cause a car to break down.
A new antiviral pill cuts COVID-19 hospitalization and death rates | Tina Hesman Saey | October 1, 2021 | Science News
Indeed, this phage’s polymerase isn’t what he was looking for.
Some viruses thwart bacterial defenses with a unique genetic alphabet | Tina Hesman Saey | May 5, 2021 | Science News
The fast-growing cells may need to concentrate the polymerase around ribosomal genes to synthesize ribosomal RNA efficiently.
A Newfound Source of Cellular Order in the Chemistry of Life | Viviane Callier | January 7, 2021 | Quanta Magazine

British Dictionary definitions for polymerase

polymerase

/ (pəˈlɪməreɪz) /

noun

any enzyme that catalyses the synthesis of a polymer, esp the synthesis of DNA or RNA

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

Scientific definitions for polymerase

polymerase

[ pə-lĭm′ə-rās′, pŏl′ə-mə-rās′ ]

Any of various enzymes, such as DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, or reverse transcriptase, that catalyze the formation of sequences of DNA or RNA using an existing strand of DNA or RNA as a template.

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