APYRASE Meaning and
Definition
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Apyrase is an enzyme that belongs to the family of nucleotide hydrolases, specifically the phosphodiesterases. It is known for its ability to hydrolyze the phosphate groups of nucleotides, particularly ATP and ADP, releasing inorganic phosphate and pyrophosphate as byproducts. This enzymatic activity enables apyrase to modulate the concentration of extracellular nucleotides.
Apyrase is widely distributed in various organisms, including bacteria, plants, and animals. In mammals, this enzyme plays a crucial role in purinergic signaling, which involves the intercellular transmission of chemical signals mediated by nucleotides. By efficiently catalyzing the hydrolysis of nucleotides, apyrase terminates their signaling effects and maintains the equilibrium of extracellular nucleotide levels.
Additionally, apyrase is often found associated with platelets, where it serves important roles in blood clotting and vascular homeostasis. Its activity on ADP helps prevent excessive platelet aggregation by rapidly hydrolyzing ADP to AMP and inorganic phosphate, thereby inhibiting the activation of additional platelets.
Due to its ability to degrade nucleotides, apyrase has also been exploited in various biotechnological applications. It is commonly used in the laboratory to remove contaminating nucleotides from DNA, RNA, and protein samples. Furthermore, apyrase has found utility in food processing, where it is used to improve the quality and clarity of fruit juices by hydrolyzing ATP and ADP, which could otherwise cause undesirable effects such as turbidity or off-flavors.
Common Misspellings for APYRASE
- Apybase
- Apyzase
- Apyvase
- Apypase
- Apysase
- Apyrise
- Apyrese
- Apyrcse
- Apyra3e
- Apyrace
- Apyraqe
- Apyrare
- Apyrasu
- Apyrasm
- Apyrasa
- Apyrasg
- apy rase
- apyr ase
- apyra se
- apyras e
Etymology of APYRASE
The word "apyrase" is derived from the combination of two components: "a-" which is a prefix meaning "without" or "absence of", and the word "pyrase", which is derived from "pyrophosphatase". "Pyrophosphatase" is a compound term composed of "pyro" meaning "fire" and "phosphatase". "Phosphatase" refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphoric acid esters. Altogether, the term "apyrase" refers to an enzyme that hydrolyzes ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and inorganic phosphate, effectively removing pyrophosphate.
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