oxidase

/'ɔksideis/

Thân thiện

A scientist adds oxidase to a test tube in the laboratory.

Definition

Noun: * An enzyme that catalyzes oxidation: An oxidase is a type of enzyme that facilitates or accelerates a biological oxidation reaction, typically involving the transfer of electrons to molecular oxygen (O₂) as the final electron acceptor.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Cytochrome c oxidase is a crucial enzyme in the electron transport chain.
  • The activity of the oxidase was measured in the laboratory experiment.
  • A deficiency in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, an important oxidase, can lead to health issues.

Advanced Usage

• "Terminal oxidase": An enzyme that catalyzes the final step in an electron transport chain, directly reducing oxygen.
  • In aerobic respiration, cytochrome c oxidase acts as the terminal oxidase.
• "Mixed-function oxidase": An enzyme system, often found in the liver, that catalyzes oxidation reactions where one atom of molecular oxygen is incorporated into the substrate.
  • The cytochrome P450 system is a major group of mixed-function oxidases involved in drug metabolism.

Variants and Related Words

• Oxidize (verb): To combine with oxygen or to lose electrons in a chemical reaction.
  • Iron will oxidize and form rust when exposed to air and water.
• Oxidation (noun): The chemical process in which a substance loses electrons or gains oxygen.
  • The browning of an apple is a result of oxidation.
• Peroxidase (noun): A related enzyme that catalyzes oxidation reactions using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) instead of molecular oxygen.
  • Peroxidases are involved in breaking down hydrogen peroxide in cells.

Synonyms

• Oxidizing enzyme: A more descriptive synonym.
• Oxidoreductase: A broader class of enzymes to which oxidases belong; they catalyze oxidation-reduction reactions.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Oxidase test: A microbiological test used to identify bacteria based on the presence of cytochrome c oxidase.
  • The bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa after a positive oxidase test.
• Amino oxidase: An enzyme that oxidatively deaminates amines.
  • Monoamine oxidase is an important amino oxidase in neurotransmitter regulation.

Học thuật

Noun

1. any of the enzymes that catalyze biological oxidation