Acetyltransferase refers to enzymes that catalyze the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to a substrate. These enzymes play key roles in metabolism, regulation, and biosynthesis by modifying proteins or small molecules, often affecting activity, stability, or localization. The term describes a broad enzyme class rather than a single protein, and its precise function varies by substrate and organism.
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"The acetyltransferase modifies histone tails, influencing chromatin structure and gene expression."
"Researchers studied an acetyltransferase involved in neurotransmitter metabolism."
"Mutation of this acetyltransferase disrupted acetylation patterns, altering enzyme activity."
"Different acetyltransferases show substrate specificity, targeting proteins, sugars, or lipids."
Acetyltransferase derives from two morphemes: acetyl- and -transferase. The acetyl- prefix comes from acetyl, itself from Latin acetum (vinegar) via French acide acétylique, reflecting the historical discovery of acetyl groups in chemistry. The suffix -transferase is from transfer + -ase, a typical enzyme-name ending from the early 20th century, borrowed from natural product biochemistry to denote enzymes that catalyze transfer reactions. The term likely entered scientific usage as biochemists categorized enzymes by the type of group they move (e.g., methyltransferase, carboxyltransferase). The modern sense of acetyltransferase encompasses a family of enzymes that transfer an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to diverse substrates, including proteins (N-acetyltransferases) and small molecules. In histone biology, N-acetyltransferases are central to chromatin regulation, with the first well-documented acetyltransferases described in the mid-20th century as researchers investigated protein acetylation in bacteria and eukaryotes. The word appears in pharmacology and metabolism literature from the late 20th century onward, expanding to multiple enzyme classes: aminotransferases, ubiquitin-like modifiers, and fatty acid acetyltransferases. First known uses focused on enzymatic activity in metabolism, and the term evolved to cover specialized enzymes with distinct substrate specificities, making acetyltransferase a broad, widely used descriptor in biochemistry and molecular biology.
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Words that rhyme with "acetyltransferase"
-ate sounds
-ter sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Break it as a-CE-tyl-TRANS-fer-ase. IPA: US /ˌæs.ɪˌtɪlˈtrænsfərˌeɪs/ or /ˌæs.ɪˈtɪlˌtrænsˌfeɪs/ depending on subspecies. Emphasize the TRANS syllable: a-CE-tyl-TRANS-fer-ase, with stress on the third syllable in many scientific pronunciations. The initial ‘acetyl’ often compresses to a-CE-tyl: a-SE-til. Mouth positions: start with /ˈæs/ or /ˌæs.ɪˈtɪl/ depending on preference, then /træns/, then /feɪs/ or /ˌfərˈeɪs/. See audio resources for cadence and rhythm, but keep the TRANS cluster clear and not swallowed. Audio reference: hearings on Pronounce or Forvo entries for acetyltransferase.
Two main errors: misplacing the stress and mispronouncing acetyl as a-SET-uhl or a-SET-əl. Correct it by stressing the TRANS part: a-ce-tyl-TRANS-fer-ase, with /træns/ clearly enunciated. The final -ase can be /-eɪs/ as in ‘acetyltransferase’ or /-əs/ in some fast speech; aim for /-eɪs/ when in formal speech. Also avoid merging the 't' into 'trans' and keep the 't' of transfer crisp.
In US and UK, the center syllable TRANS carries primary stress in many contexts: /ˌæs.ɪˈtɪlˌtrænsˌfərˌeɪs/ (US) vs /ˌæs.ɪˈtɪlˌtrænsˈfɑːz/ or /-fəz/ (UK). The final vowel may be reduced to /-s/ or fully enunciated as /-eɪs/ depending on the speaker and speed. Australian tends to be closer to UK in non-rhotic variants; rhoticity affects /fər/ vs /fə/ sequences. Overall, the TRANS and FERE/FEI sequences should remain clear in all accents; the main differences are vowel qualities in the final /eɪs/ vs /əz/ and how /r/ is pronounced before vowels.
Because it combines a multi-syllable chemical prefix acetyl- with a stress-sensitive transferase suffix and several consecutive consonants (t-r-a-n-s-f). The tricky parts: the acetyl prefix with a short /ɪ/ or schwa and the /tr/ cluster after it, then the /træns/, and the final /f/ and /eɪs/ blend. People often misplace the stress and mis-scan the syllables, saying a-SET-ul-TRANS-fers or turning /træns/ into /tɛn/. Focusing on the TRANS cluster and keeping the suffix crisp helps.
In many scientific pronunciations, the main content carries stress earlier (e.g., the TRANS syllable), while the final '-ase' is lighter but clearly enunciated to avoid blur with prior consonants. The general pattern is secondary stress on the final -ase depending on pacing: you’ll typically hear /ˈtrænsˌfeɪs/ or /ˈtrænsfəˌleɪs/ if the speaker emphasizes the action; however, in formal contexts, the -ase is pronounced as /-eɪs/ with a lighter, quick ending. Practice ensuring the final /eɪs/ remains audible but not dominant.
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