DEOXY Meaning and
Definition
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Deoxy is a prefix used in scientific terminology, particularly in the fields of biochemistry, biology, and medicine. The term "deoxy" is derived from the Greek word "deoxy-" meaning "lacking" or "without," and it signifies the absence or removal of a specific functional group or component in a molecule.
In biochemistry, "deoxy" is primarily associated with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and refers to the absence of an oxygen atom in the ribose sugar moiety of the nucleotide units. DNA is composed of a sugar-phosphate backbone with nucleotide bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine) attached to it. The deoxyribose sugar present in DNA lacks an oxygen atom in the second carbon position compared to ribose sugar found in ribonucleic acid (RNA).
Furthermore, "deoxy" can be used to describe other molecules or compounds that lack an oxygen atom or have a modified structure due to the removal of an oxygen-containing group. For example, deoxyribose is the sugar component present in DNA, while deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine are nucleosides lacking an oxygen atom compared to their counterparts, adenosine and guanosine.
Overall, the prefix "deoxy" serves as a useful descriptor to indicate the absence of an oxygen atom or a modified structure in various biological molecules, particularly in DNA and related compounds in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology.
Common Misspellings for DEOXY
- seoxy
- xeoxy
- ceoxy
- feoxy
- reoxy
- eeoxy
- dwoxy
- dsoxy
- ddoxy
- droxy
- d4oxy
- d3oxy
- deixy
- dekxy
- delxy
- depxy
- de0xy
- de9xy
- deozy
- deocy
Etymology of DEOXY
The word "deoxy" is derived from a combination of two elements: "de-" and "oxy".
The prefix "de-" comes from the Latin word "de", meaning "from" or "down from". In English, it is commonly used to indicate reversal or removal of something.
The term "oxy" is derived from the Greek word "oxys", meaning "sharp" or "acid". It is related to oxygen, which was named by Antoine Lavoisier in the late 18th century. The term "oxygen" was coined from the Greek words "oxy-" and "-gen", meaning "acid-forming" and "generator" respectively, reflecting its important role in the production of acids.
When combined, the term "deoxy" implies the removal or absence of something related to oxygen or acidity.
