topoisomerase

noun

topo·​isom·​er·​ase ˌtō-pō-ī-ˈsä-mə-ˌrās How to pronounce topoisomerase (audio)
-ˌrāz
: any of a class of enzymes that reduce supercoiling in DNA by breaking and rejoining one or both strands of the DNA molecule

Examples of topoisomerase in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Many of these carry drugs that inhibit the enzyme topoisomerase 1, which is essential for DNA replication. Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 1 Mar. 2024 When things start getting too tightly wound, topoisomerase cuts the DNA strand, unwinds it, and reattaches it with a bit more slack. Cathleen O'Grady, Ars Technica, 15 Nov. 2018 But while gonorrhea has been evolving ways to stop ciprofloxacin from getting in the way of topoisomerase, those strategies don’t work on the new drug. Cathleen O'Grady, Ars Technica, 15 Nov. 2018

Word History

Etymology

top- + isomerase

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of topoisomerase was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near topoisomerase

Cite this Entry

“Topoisomerase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topoisomerase. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

topoisomerase

noun
topo·​isom·​er·​ase ˌtō-pō-ī-ˈsäm-ə-ˌrās, -ˌrāz How to pronounce topoisomerase (audio)
: any of a class of enzymes that reduce supercoiling in DNA by breaking and rejoining one or both strands of the DNA molecule
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