cysteine

noun

cys·​te·​ine ˈsi-stə-ˌēn How to pronounce cysteine (audio)
: a crystalline sulfur-containing amino acid C3H7NO2S readily oxidizable to cystine

Examples of cysteine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While spice allergies are rare, a certain enzyme found in ginger (cysteine proteinase GP-1) may trigger allergic reactions in some people. Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Health, 16 Sep. 2024 Therefore, the team did a deep dive on scientific literature for fertility-boosting ingredients, landing on three of the most effective: myo-inositol, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and CoQ10. Emily Burns, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019 So the scientists exposed the tardigrades to different kinds of molecules known to block cysteine oxidation, as scientists call binding by a free radical. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 17 Jan. 2024 The survival mechanism kicks off when cysteines, one of the amino acids that forms proteins in the body, come into contact with these oxygen free radicals and becomes oxidized, the researchers found. Jenna Schnuer, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cysteine 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cysteine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from cystine + -ein

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cysteine was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near cysteine

Cite this Entry

“Cysteine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cysteine. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

cysteine

noun
cys·​teine ˈsis-tə-ˌēn How to pronounce cysteine (audio)
: a sulfur-containing amino acid C3H7NO2S occurring in many proteins and glutathione and readily oxidizable to cystine
abbreviation Cys

More from Merriam-Webster on cysteine

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