Isomerases

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of enzymes that promote the conversion of molecules by altering their structural arrangement through bond changes
2. Enzymatic proteins that facilitate the interconversion of isomers by modifying their chemical structure
3. Enzymes that accelerate the rearrangement of atoms within a molecule to produce different isomeric forms

Etymology: Isomerases are named by building blocks rather than a single origin story. The word combines "isomer," which comes from Greek "isos" (equal) and "meros" (part), describing compounds that share the same atoms but arrange them differently, with "-ase," the suffix that marks enzymes. The "-ase" ending comes from "diastase," the name given to the first enzyme ever isolated, a starch-breaking substance, and the suffix was then applied to enzymes generally. The "isomer" half traces back to the Greek prefix "dia-" (through, apart) and the root "histanai" (to set up, to stand), a lineage that also yields "diastase." So a word for a molecular rearrangement is built from roots meaning something like "standing apart" and "equal parts," two ancient ideas that happen to fit chemistry well. The plural form simply reflects the noun "isomerase," which names an enzyme class; the plural refers to the many different enzymes that perform such rearrangements.

Synonyms: enzymes