THYMIDILATE SYNTHASE Meaning and
Definition
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Thymidylate synthase, also known as TS, is an enzyme found in living organisms that plays a crucial role in the production of DNA. It is responsible for catalyzing the conversion of deoxyuridine monophosphate (dUMP) into deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP), which is an essential building block for DNA synthesis.
Thymidylate synthase utilizes a methylation reaction, adding a methyl group from 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (CH_2THF) to dUMP, resulting in the formation of dTMP. This reaction is crucial because DNA replication and cell division heavily depend on the availability of dTMP for the synthesis of new DNA strands.
The activity of thymidylate synthase is tightly regulated in cells. It is an important target for a class of chemotherapy drugs called thymidylate synthase inhibitors, which selectively inhibit its activity. By blocking the conversion of dUMP to dTMP, these drugs inhibit DNA replication, thereby preventing the proliferation of cancer cells.
Understanding the structure, function, and regulation of thymidylate synthase is essential in various biological and medical fields. Research on thymidylate synthase has provided valuable insights into DNA synthesis and cell proliferation pathways, as well as the development of novel antifolate drugs for cancer treatment.
Overall, thymidylate synthase is a pivotal enzyme involved in DNA synthesis, making it a crucial target for cancer therapy and an important subject of study in genetic and medical research.
Common Misspellings for THYMIDILATE SYNTHASE
- rhymidilate synthase
- fhymidilate synthase
- ghymidilate synthase
- yhymidilate synthase
- 6hymidilate synthase
- 5hymidilate synthase
- tgymidilate synthase
- tbymidilate synthase
- tnymidilate synthase
- tjymidilate synthase
- tuymidilate synthase
- tyymidilate synthase
- thtmidilate synthase
- thgmidilate synthase
- thhmidilate synthase
- thumidilate synthase
- th7midilate synthase
- th6midilate synthase
- thynidilate synthase
- thykidilate synthase
Etymology of THYMIDILATE SYNTHASE
The word "thymidilate synthase" is derived from two components: thymidilate and synthase.
- Thymidilate: The term "thymidilate" comes from "thymidine" and "ate". Thymidine is derived from "thymine", which is one of the four nucleotide bases found in DNA. The suffix "-ate" is commonly used in biochemistry to indicate the salt or ester form of a compound.
- Synthase: The term "synthase" is derived from the suffix "-synthesis" and the Greek word "synthetos", meaning "made" or "put together". In biochemistry, the term "synthase" is often used to indicate an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis or production of a particular compound.
