Term: exoenzymes https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02267 Definition: enzymes that cleave monomers (sometimes also di- or oligomers) from one end of a polymer chain. Exonucleases are able to cleave nucleotides, one by one, from either the 5- or the 3- (or both) ends of nucleic acids. Related Terms: 1) enzymes (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02159). 2) nucleotides (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.N04255). 3) nucleic acids (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.N04245). Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 153 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143) Citation: 'exoenzymes' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02267 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.