Biology

catalase

Term: catalase

Literally meaning: ?the enzyme that breaks down?

Origin: Anc Greek

????/cata(=prefix denoting ?down to? and sometimes ?against?)

?????/lysis (=???/leo (break up, solve)

à dissolution or a riot

+ (-???)/(-asy)(=-ase) enzyme suffix added to the name of the substrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes eg proteinase for protein or lipase for lipids

>???-/dia-(=prefix denoting ?through?, ?apart? )

> ???/dio(two) + ??????/stasis(=halt) > ??????/histimi(=stand).

Coined/History

In 811 French chemist Thenard (1777-1857) discovered the existence of hydrogen peroxide in living tissues and he suported that a ?vital essence? must be present in the body to degrate it. In this vital ?essence? was isolated by German chemist Oscar Loew (1844-1941) and named ?catalase?. Its first crystals were reported in 1937 by American chemist James B Summer(1887-1955) and the first X-ray structure of mammalian catalase was mapped in 1981 by Murthy et al. in 1949.

Sources

1.Sumner JB, Dounce AL (April 1937). "Crystalline catalase". Science 85 (2206): 366?367.

Definition

Catalase is the enzyme that breaks down od hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen.

- Lipase
Term: lipaseLiterally meaning: ?the enzyme that breaks down lipids?Origin: Anc Greek+ ?????/?????(=fat, grease) >????? > verb ?????/livo(=grease)+(-???)/(-asy)(=-ase) enzyme suffix added to the name of the substrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes...

- Gyrase
Term: gyraseLiterally meaning: ?the enzyme that breaks down rounds?Origin: Anc Greek?????/gyros(=round, curved)+(-???)/(-asy)(=-ase) enzyme suffix added to the name of the substrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes eg proteinase for protein or lipase...

- Chitinase
Term: chitinaseLiterally meaning: ?an enzyme that breaks down chitin?Origin: Anc Greek?????/chiton(=tunic)+(-???)/(-asy)(=-ase) enzyme suffix added to the name of the substrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes eg proteinase for protein or lipase for...

- Lyase
Term: lyase Literally meaning: ?enzyme of breaking down?Origin: Anc Greek???/leo =break down, solve, loose, degradate)+-???/-asy(=-ase) enzyme suffix added to the name of the substrate that the enzyme hydrolyzes eg proteinase for protein or lipase...

- -ase
-aseGreek Origin This chemical ending was derived from Greek word ?????????/diastasis(=separation) > ???-/dia-(=prefix denoting ?through?, ?apart? ) > ???/dio(two) + ??????/stasis(=halt) > ??????/histimi(=stand)....

Biology