polymerase

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

noun

, Biochemistry.

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

polymerase

/ pəˈlɪməreɪz /

noun

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

polymerase

/ pə-lĭm′ə-rās′,pŏl′ə-mə-rās′ /

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polymerase¹

First recorded in 1955–60; polymer + -ase

Example Sentences

The numbers are likely to be underestimates: Oropouche’s symptoms resemble those of dengue, Zika, and several other diseases, and an infection can only be confirmed using polymerase chain reaction or antibody tests.

From Science Magazine

"Serratus identifies RNA viruses from public data by flagging an enzyme called RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which facilitates replication of viral RNA. This enzyme allows the virus to reproduce itself and for the infection to spread."

From Science Daily

The reason for this is that the tests most commonly used — polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests — are designed to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a flu virus.

From Los Angeles Times

However, in the current scenario, the emerging bovine H5N1 strain that has infected American dairy cattle has undergone a specific adaptation in an enzyme called polymerase.

From Salon

Samples were screened for corallicolid infection using polymerase chain reaction -- a laboratory nucleic acid amplification technique -- and sequencing of nuclear small subunit rRNA.

From Science Daily