synthesize

(verb)

To combine two or more things to produce a new, more complex product.

Related Terms

Examples of synthesize in the following topics:

  • Synthesizing DNA

    • DNA must be synthesized to study genes, the sequence of genomes, and many other studies.
    • Whereas enzymes synthesize DNA and RNA in a 5' to 3' direction, chemical oligonucleotide synthesis is carried out in the opposite, 3' to 5' direction.
    • The occurrence of side reactions sets practical limits for the length of synthetic oligonucleotides (up to about 200 nucleotide residues) because the number of errors accumulates with the length of the oligonucleotide being synthesized.
    • Artificial gene synthesis is the process of synthesizing a gene in vitro without the need for initial template DNA samples.
    • In contrast, natural DNA replication requires existing DNA templates for synthesizing new DNA.

  • Vitamins and Amino Acids

    • Microorganisms and plants can synthesize many uncommon amino acids and vitamins.
    • Microorganisms and plants can synthesize many uncommon amino acids.
    • Vitamin K1, also known as phylloquinone or phytomenadione (also called phytonadione), is synthesized by plants, and is found in highest amounts in green leafy vegetables because it is directly involved in photosynthesis.
    • Describe how microorganisms and plants can synthesize many uncommon amino acids and vitamins

  • DNA Replication in Eukaryotes

    • All newly synthesized polynucleotide strands must be initiated by a specialized RNA polymerase called primase.
    • DNA polymerase can only synthesize new strands in the 5' to 3' direction.
    • This lagging strand is synthesized in pieces because the DNA polymerase can only synthesize in the 5' to 3' direction, and so it constantly encounters the previously-synthesized new strand.
    • An RNA primer is synthesized by primase and is elongated by the DNA polymerase.
    • On the leading strand, only a single RNA primer is needed, and DNA is synthesized continuously, whereas on the lagging strand, DNA is synthesized in short stretches, each of which must start with its own RNA primer.

  • Strategies for Acquiring Energy

    • Autotrophs (producers) synthesize their own energy, creating organic materials that are utilized as fuel by heterotrophs (consumers).
    • Photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms are grouped into a category known as autotrophs: organisms capable of synthesizing their own food (more specifically, capable of using inorganic carbon as a carbon source).
    • The energy stored in ATP is used to synthesize complex organic molecules, such as glucose.
    • This allows chemoautotrophs to synthesize complex organic molecules, such as glucose, for their own energy and in turn supplies energy to the rest of the ecosystem.
    • Unlike autotrophs, heterotrophs are unable to synthesize their own food.

  • DNA Replication in Prokaryotes

    • Another enzyme, RNA primase, synthesizes an RNA primer that is about five to ten nucleotides long and complementary to the DNA, priming DNA synthesis.
    • The nicks that remain between the newly-synthesized DNA (that replaced the RNA primer) and the previously-synthesized DNA are sealed by the enzyme DNA ligase that catalyzes the formation of phosphodiester linkage between the 3'-OH end of one nucleotide and the 5' phosphate end of the other fragment.
    • Primase synthesizes an RNA primer.
    • DNA polymerase III uses this primer to synthesize the daughter DNA strand.
    • On the leading strand, DNA is synthesized continuously, whereas on the lagging strand, DNA is synthesized in short stretches called Okazaki fragments.

  • Telomere Replication

    • After DNA replication, each newly synthesized DNA strand is shorter at its 5' end than at the parental DNA strand's 5' end.
    • Every RNA primer synthesized during replication can be removed and replaced with DNA strands except the RNA primer at the 5' end of the newly synthesized strand.
    • Parental DNA strands are black, newly synthesized DNA strands are blue, and RNA primers are red.
    • All RNA primers will be removed by Rnase H and FEN1, leaving gaps in the newly-synthesized DNA strands (not shown.)
    • This means that each newly-synthesized DNA strand is shorter at its 5' end than the equivalent strand in the parental DNA.

  • Nonribosomal Peptide Antibiotics

    • While there exists a wide range of peptides that are not synthesized by ribosomes, the term nonribosomal peptide typically refers to a very specific set of these as discussed in this article.
    • Nonribosomal peptides are synthesized by nonribosomal peptide synthetases, which, unlike the ribosomes, are independent of messenger RNA.
    • Each nonribosomal peptide synthetase can synthesize only one type of peptide.
    • Nonribosomal peptides are synthesized by one or more specialized nonribosomal peptide-synthetase (NRPS) enzymes.
    • It is synthesized by a single 1.6MDa NRPS.

  • The trp Operon: A Repressor Operon

    • E. coli can also synthesize tryptophan using enzymes that are encoded by five genes.
    • If tryptophan is present in the environment, then E. coli does not need to synthesize it; the switch controlling the activation of the genes in the trp operon is turned off.
    • However, when tryptophan availability is low, the switch controlling the operon is turned on, transcription is initiated, the genes are expressed, and tryptophan is synthesized.
    • When tryptophan is not present in the cell, the repressor by itself does not bind to the operator; therefore, the operon is active and tryptophan is synthesized.
    • The five genes that are needed to synthesize tryptophan in E. coli are located next to each other in the trp operon.

  • Types of Neurotransmitters by Function

    • Neurotransmitters are synthesized from plentiful and simple precursors such as amino acids, which are readily available from the diet and require only a small number of biosynthetic steps to convert.
    • It is synthesized from acetic acid and choline.
    • Dopamine and NE are synthesized from amino acid tyrosine.
    • Serotonin is synthesized  from tryptophan.
    • Histamine is synthesized from amino acid histidine.

  • Amino Acid Synthesis

    • Organisms vary in their ability to synthesize the 20 common amino acids, but most bacteria and plants can synthesize all 20.
    • Organisms vary in their ability to synthesize the 20 common amino acids.
    • Most bacteria and plants can synthesize all 20.
    • All amino acids are synthesized from intermediates in glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, or the pentose phosphate pathway.