tetramer

[te-truh-mer]

noun

1. a molecule composed of four identical, simpler molecules.

2. a polymer derived from four identical monomers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetramer¹

First recorded in 1905–10; tetra- + -mer

Example Sentences

These mutations, which prevent the p53 protein from forming a tetramer -- an assembly of four p53 proteins -- had been studied before, using a technique that involves inserting artificial copies of a mutated p53 gene into a cell.

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However, when the MIT team introduced those same mutations using the new prime editing technique, they found that the mutation prevented the tetramer from forming, allowing the cells to survive.

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Each nucleosome consists of approximately 147 base pairs of DNA wrapped around a histone octamer which is composed of two H2A-H2B dimers and one H3-H4 tetramer.

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Further analysis using X-ray crystallography and thermodynamic simulations revealed that tetramer formation is driven by hydrophobic interactions occurring between two 3D-DS dimers.

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The formation of the 3D-DS tetramer can help prevent protein aggregation by decreasing flexibility, potentially avoiding the formation of insoluble aggregates.

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