Term: ligases (synthetases)
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03521

Definition:
enzymes that catalyse the ligation of two molecules with concomitant hydrolysis of the pyrophosphate bond in adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) or a similar triphosphate, forming C–C, C–O, C–S, P–O or C–N bonds. In recombinant DNA technology, ligases covalently join together two sequences of DNA (e.g. host DNA and foreign DNA) by a phosphodiester bond.

Related Terms:
1) enzymes (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02159).
2) hydrolysis (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02902).
3) dna (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01597).
4) recombinant dna technology (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01579).
5) host (<em>in biotechnology</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02859).

Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 159 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143)

Citation: 'ligases (synthetases)' 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.L03521

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