en·zyme
(ĕn′zīm)n.
Any of numerous compounds that are produced by living organisms and function as biochemical catalysts. Some enzymes are simple proteins, and others consist of a protein linked to one or more nonprotein groups.
[German Enzym, from Medieval Greek enzūmos, leavened : Greek en-, in; see en-2 + Greek zūmē, leaven, yeast.]
en′zy·mat′ic (-zə-măt′ĭk), en·zy′mic (-zī′mĭk, -zĭm′ĭk) adj.
en′zy·mat′i·cal·ly, en·zy′mi·cal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
enzyme
(ˈɛnzaɪm)n
(Biochemistry) any of a group of complex proteins or conjugated proteins that are produced by living cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions
[C19: from Medieval Greek enzumos leavened, from Greek en-2 + zumē leaven]
enzymatic, enzymic adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
en•zyme
(ˈɛn zaɪm)n.
any of various proteins, as pepsin and amylase, originating from living cells and capable of producing certain chemical changes in organic substances by catalytic action, as in digestion. Compare -ase.
[1880–85; < Medieval Greek énzymos leavened]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
en·zyme
(ĕn′zīm) Any of the proteins produced in living cells that act as catalysts in the metabolic processes of an organism. For example, enzymes break down the large molecules found in food into smaller molecules so they can be digested.
Did You Know? No matter how hard you find chemistry in school, you're still quite good at it: every day your body performs complex biochemistry. Many of the chemical reactions that take place inside you depend on the proteins known as enzymes. These large, globular proteins catalyze, or speed up, the reactions sometimes by as much as a million times. Enzymes are structured so that they bond to a second, specific molecule, called a substrate. When the enzyme and its substrate come together, at a place on the enzyme called the active site, the substrate is modified, for example by combining two different substrate molecules into a single molecule. The enzyme remains unchanged, breaks away, and is free to perform its chemical magic on a fresh substrate molecule. People have found uses for enzymes outside our bodies as well. For example, detergents may include enzymes that break down organic stains on clothing, and enzymes have long been used in making beer, wine, and cheese.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
enzyme
A biological catalyst.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. | enzyme - any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions active site - the part of an enzyme or antibody where the chemical reaction occurs ADA, adenosine deaminase - an enzyme found in mammals that can catalyze the deamination of adenosine into inosine and ammonia; "ADA deficiency can lead to one form of severe combined immunodeficiency disease"; "the gene encoding ADA was one of the earlier human genes to be isolated and cloned for study" catalyst, accelerator - (chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected protein - any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes; "a diet high in protein" amylase - any of a group of proteins found in saliva and pancreatic juice and parts of plants; help convert starch to sugar cholinesterase - an enzyme that hydrolyses acetylcholine (into choline and acetic acid) coagulase - an enzyme that induces coagulation collagenase - any enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of collagen and gelatin complement - one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response catalase - enzyme found in most plant and animal cells that functions as an oxidative catalyst; decomposes hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water Cox, cyclooxygenase - either of two related enzymes that control the production of prostaglandins and are blocked by aspirin decarboxylase - any of the enzymes that hydrolize the carboxyl group de-iodinase - an enzyme that removes the iodine radical disaccharidase - an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of disaccharides into monosaccharides elastase - a pancreatic enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of elastin enterokinase - enzyme in the intestinal juice that converts inactive trypsinogen into active trypsin histaminase - enzyme that acts as a catalyst in converting histidine to histamine hyaluronidase, Hyazyme, spreading factor - an enzyme (trade name Hyazyme) that splits hyaluronic acid and so lowers its viscosity and increases the permeability of connective tissue and the absorption of fluids isomerase - an enzyme that catalyzes its substrate to an isomeric form kinase - an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of a proenzyme to an active enzyme lipase - an enzyme secreted in the digestive tract that catalyzes the breakdown of fats into individual fatty acids that can be absorbed into the bloodstream lysozyme, muramidase - an enzyme found in saliva and sweat and tears that destroys the cell walls of certain bacteria MAO, monoamine oxidase - an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of many body compounds (e.g., epinephrine and norepinephrine and serotonin) nitrogenase - an enzyme of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms that catalyzes the conversion of nitrogen to ammonia nuclease - general term for enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleic acid by cleaving chains of nucleotides into smaller units oxidase - any of the enzymes that catalyze biological oxidation oxidoreductase - an enzyme that catalyzes oxidation-reduction papain - a proteolytic enzyme obtained from the unripe papaya; used as a meat tenderizer beta-lactamase, penicillinase - enzyme produced by certain bacteria that inactivates penicillin and results in resistance to that antibiotic pepsin - an enzyme produced in the stomach that splits proteins into peptones pepsinogen - precursor of pepsin; stored in the stomach walls and converted to pepsin by hydrochloric acid in the stomach phosphatase - any of a group of enzymes that act as a catalyst in the hydrolysis of organic phosphates fibrinolysin, plasmin - an enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots polymerase - an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of new DNA and RNA from an existing strand of DNA or RNA peptidase, protease, proteinase, proteolytic enzyme - any enzyme that catalyzes the splitting of proteins into smaller peptide fractions and amino acids by a process known as proteolysis reductase - an enzyme that catalyses the biochemical reduction of some specified substance secretase - a set of enzymes believed to snip pieces off a longer protein producing fragments of amyloid protein that bunch up and create amyloid protein plaques in brain tissue (the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's) streptodornase - an enzyme produced by some hemolytic strains of streptococcus that dissolves fibrinous secretions from infections; used medicinally (often in combination with streptokinase) streptokinase - an enzyme produced by some strains of streptococcus that can liquefy blood clots by converting plasminogen to plasmin; used medicinally in some cases of myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism superoxide dismutase - an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of superoxide into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen; "oxygen free radicals are normally removed in our bodies by the superoxide dismutase enzymes" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
انزيم
enzym
entsyymi
אנזים
enzimasfermentas
enzym
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
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Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
en·zyme
n. enzima, proteína que actúa como catalítico en reacciones químicas vitales;
mucomembranous ___ → ___ mucomenbranosa;
thrombolitic ___ → ___ trombolitica;
___ activator → activador de la ___;
___ inhibitor → inhibidor enzimático;
___ therapy → terapia de ___ -s.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
enzyme
n enzima m&f; [Note: Masculine usage predominates in Spain, while feminine usage predominates in Latin America.]English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.