ligase

noun

li·​gase ˈlī-ˌgās How to pronounce ligase (audio)
-ˌgāz

Examples of ligase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Alternatively, a special kind of viral ligase protein — which glues nucleic acids together — may have joined the dissimilar DNA and RNA strands, with the resultant hybrid code then replicated into DNA. Sarah Zhang, Discover Magazine, 23 Apr. 2012 Gottesman worked with Martin Gellert, who had at that point just discovered the enzyme DNA ligase, the central enzyme for DNA replication and repair. Viviane Callier, Wired, 6 Sep. 2021

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary lig- (from Latin ligare) + -ase

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ligase was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near ligase

Cite this Entry

“Ligase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ligase. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

ligase

noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ligase

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!