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-ase



The suffix -ase is used in biochemistry to form names of enzymes. The most common way to name enzymes is to add this suffix onto the end of the substrate, e.g. an enzyme that breaks down peroxides may be called peroxidase. Sometimes enzymes are named for the function they perform, rather than substrate, e.g. the enzyme that joins DNA strands is called polymerase (it polymerizes DNA).

This suffix was likeliest extracted from the name of diastase. It is one of a family of suffixes used to form names of particular types of chemical compounds.

Other organic chemical word components

  • -al: -(CO)H (e.g. aldehyde)
  • -ane: -C-C- (e.g. alkane)
  • -ase: enzyme (e.g. amylase)
  • -ene: -C=C- (e.g. alkene)
  • -oate: -COOx or -COO- (e.g. ester)
  • -oic acid: -COOH (e.g. carboxylic acid)
  • -ol: -OH (e.g. alcohol)
  • -one: C=O (e.g. ketone)
  • -ose: sugar (e.g. glucose)
  • -yl: radical
  • -yne: -C≡C- (e.g. alkyne)
  • alk-: saturated hydrocarbon (e.g. alkane)
  • ar-: any aromatic compound
  • aza-: N instead of C
  • thio-: S (often instead of O)


 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "-ase". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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