General term for any enzyme catalyzing a polymerization, as of nucleotides to polynucleotides, thus belonging to EC class 2, the transferases.
- p. alpha a class of mammalian DNA polymerases in the nucleus that function in chromosome replication. SYN: p. α.
- p. beta a class of mammalian DNA polymerases in the nucleus that do not have a role in replication but may function in DNA repair. SYN: p. β.
- p. gamma a class of mammalian DNA polymerases in the mitochondria responsible for replication of the mitochondrial genome. SYN: p. γ.
- Taq p. a temperature-resistant DNA p. isolated from Thermus aquaticus that can extend primers at high temperatures; used in the p. chain reaction.
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po·ly·mer·ase pə-'lim-ər-ās; 'pä-lə-mə-.rās, -.rāz n any of several enzymes that catalyze the formation of DNA or RNA from precursor substances in the presence of preexisting DNA or RNA acting as a template
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po·lym·er·ase (pə-limґər-ās) any enzyme that catalyzes polymerization, especially of nucleotides to polynucleotides.Medical dictionary. 2011.