transcriptase

American  

[tran-skrip-teys, -teyz] / trænˈskrɪp teɪs, -teɪz /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. RNA polymerase.

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transcriptase British  

/ trænˈskrɪpteɪz /

noun

1. See reverse transcriptase

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Etymology

Origin of transcriptase

First recorded in 1963; transcript(ion) + -ase

Example Sentences

Doravirine belongs to a class called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

While both drugs target the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase enzyme to prevent viral replication, they do so through entirely different biochemical pathways.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Reverse transcriptase is also used by a unique family of viruses, known as retroviruses, to replicate themselves.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025

One component is the prime editor, which combines a SpCas9 protein, used in the first CRISPR-Cas gene editing technology, and a reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that transcribes RNA into DNA.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2024

The HIV virus uses reverse transcriptase to replicate cells and build proteins.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022