Biochemistry term for a protein that acts as a catalyst in living organisms. Common in scientific, medical, and nutritional contexts.
Enzymes in the body break down starch.
This detergent contains enzymes.
酵素の働きでデンプンが分解される。
Starch is broken down by the action of enzymes.
The enzyme functions well at this temperature.
I take in enzymes for my health.
毒素 (a toxin) and 酵素 (an enzyme) sound and look similar because both end in 素, but they refer to opposite kinds of biological substances—harmful versus functional.
Individual 酵素 are usually not counted as discrete objects; instead 種類 is used to count the number of distinct kinds of enzyme (三種類の酵素).
coenzyme
ferment; enzyme
coenzyme
enzymology
apoenzyme
restriction enzyme; restriction endonuclease
ligase; synthase; synthetase
respiratory enzyme
From 酵 (fermentation, leaven) and 素 (element, principle). Coined in the late 19th century as a translation of the Western scientific term 'enzyme'.
plant enzyme; vegetable enzyme
active enzyme