synthetase
noun
syn·the·tase
ˈsin-thə-ˌtās 
-ˌtāz
: an enzyme that catalyzes the linking together of two molecules usually using the energy derived from the concurrent splitting off of a pyrophosphate group from a triphosphate (such as ATP)
called also ligase
Examples of synthetase in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Following his birth in August 2024, KJ Muldoon was diagnosed with a rare metabolic disease known as severe carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency, according to a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia news release.
—
Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 17 May 2025
The metabolic condition, called carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency, affects the urea cycle and can cause deadly levels of ammonia to build up in the blood, leading to severe and permanent brain damage.
—Keerthana Pakanati, ABC News, 15 May 2025
To find out, the team compared Klosneuvirus’s aminoacyl tRNA synthetase sequences with other forms of the enzymes across the tree of life.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
The results were all over the place, with each synthetase showing closest similarity to a different organism (mostly algae).
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
For example, most viruses lack aminoacyl tRNA synthetase enzymes, which shuttle amino acids onto transfer RNA molecules; these in turn make their way to the ribosome, dropping off their cargo to build proteins from the chains of amino acids.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
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Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 17 May 2025
The metabolic condition, called carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency, affects the urea cycle and can cause deadly levels of ammonia to build up in the blood, leading to severe and permanent brain damage.
—Keerthana Pakanati, ABC News, 15 May 2025
To find out, the team compared Klosneuvirus’s aminoacyl tRNA synthetase sequences with other forms of the enzymes across the tree of life.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
The results were all over the place, with each synthetase showing closest similarity to a different organism (mostly algae).
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
For example, most viruses lack aminoacyl tRNA synthetase enzymes, which shuttle amino acids onto transfer RNA molecules; these in turn make their way to the ribosome, dropping off their cargo to build proteins from the chains of amino acids.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Synthetase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synthetase. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
synthetase
noun
syn·the·tase
ˈsin-thə-ˌtās, -ˌtāz
: an enzyme that catalyzes the linking together of two molecules especially by using the energy derived from the concurrent splitting off of a pyrophosphate group from a triphosphate (as ATP)
called also ligase
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