nuclease

American

[noo-klee-eys, -eyz, nyoo-] / ˈnu kliˌeɪs, -ˌeɪz, ˈnyu- /

noun

Biochemistry.

any enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nucleic acids.

nuclease British

/ ˈnjuːklɪˌeɪz /

noun

any of a group of enzymes that hydrolyse nucleic acids to simple nucleotides

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nuclease

1900–05; nucle(ic acid) ( def. ) + -ase

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Until now, researchers did not know which nuclease was responsible for triggering this destructive chain reaction, making it impossible to design therapies aimed at stopping it.

From Science Daily

In addition to further testing the Subak reporter for nuclease digestion, the team also wants to investigate whether it can be a probe for other biological targets.

From Science Daily

In contrast to gene scissors, however, the CRISPRi nuclease only binds to the DNA without cutting it.

From Science Daily

SIR2's first job as a nuclease is digesting nucleic acids to maintain proper cell functions.

From Science Daily

But soon after fertilization, the nuclease cuts the DNA sequence on the other chromosome from the parent that did not carry the gene at the precise location of the gene drive.

From Scientific American

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023