noun
- Plural of cyclase; enzymes that catalyze the formation of cyclic compounds, especially cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP and cGMP.
Usage: technical; biochemistry
Examples
- Adenylyl cyclases are enzymes that produce cyclic AMP, an important signaling molecule in cells.
- Guanylyl cyclases catalyze the synthesis of cGMP, which plays a role in vision and other cellular processes.
- The activation of cyclases leads to increased levels of second messengers in the cell.
- Different types of cyclases are found in various tissues and respond to different hormonal signals.
- Researchers study cyclases to understand how cells communicate and respond to external stimuli.