Polymerase
Polymerase
Polymerase (/pəˈlɪməreɪz/), derived from the Greek words 'poly', meaning 'many', and 'meros', meaning 'part', is a type of enzyme that synthesizes long chains or polymers of nucleic acids. DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase are both types of polymerase.
Etymology
The term "polymerase" comes from the Greek words 'poly', meaning 'many', and 'meros', meaning 'part'. It was first used in the mid-20th century to describe enzymes that catalyze the formation of DNA and RNA.
Types of Polymerase
There are several types of polymerase, including DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase. DNA polymerase is responsible for DNA replication, while RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA from a DNA template.
DNA Polymerase
DNA polymerase is an enzyme that synthesizes DNA molecules from deoxyribonucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA. These enzymes are essential for DNA replication and usually work in pairs to create two identical DNA strands from one original DNA molecule.
RNA Polymerase
RNA polymerase is an enzyme that synthesizes RNA from a DNA template. During this process, RNA polymerase binds to DNA and separates the DNA strands. It then uses one strand of DNA as a template from which to synthesize a new strand of RNA.
Related Terms
- Nucleic acids: These are the molecules that make up DNA and RNA. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.
- Enzyme: This is a type of protein that speeds up chemical reactions in the body.
- DNA replication: This is the process by which a double-stranded DNA molecule is copied to produce two identical DNA molecules.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Polymerase
- Wikipedia's article - Polymerase
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski