Skip to main content
to dimerize

to dimerize

9.5
To join two molecules together to make a pair
  • verb
  • /ˈdaɪməˌraɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dimerizar
  • Although native human insulin naturally dimerizes and then further associates into hexamers in the presence of zinc, insulin degludec self-associates into stable di-hexamer complexes.

Examples

  • This immunosuppressive effect of MSCs is stimulated by IFN-?, a dimerized soluble cytokine and other inflammatory cytokines.

    Blog text (29)
  • Instead, the surface Si atoms spontaneously dimerize as successive layers are exposed, as in Figure 1c.

    Academic text (1998)
  • We can therefore monitor the extent to which NO2 dimerizes to form N2O4 by examining the intensity of the brown color in a sealed tube of this gas.

  • Instead, the surface Si atoms spontaneously dimerize as successive layers are exposed, as in Figure 1c.

  • The protein (the RuvA-Holliday junction complex) is an octamer consisting of two tetramers that dimerize by strong ionic interactions between anti-parallel helices.

Synonyms

to ligate
vsto dimerize
  • Specialized
1 9.9

To join two molecules together with a chemical bond using an enzyme

forms a bonded pair of two molecules rather than any general bond formation

Surface Forms

dimerize infinitive
dimerized past
dimerized past participle
dimerizing present participle
dimerizes third person singular

Morphology

dimerize = dimer (transparent) = dimer + ize

The verb is a regular denominal formation from 'dimer' plus the productive suffix '-ize', meaning 'to form a dimer'.

Etymology

Dimerize comes from the prefix di- meaning 'two' and the element -mer meaning 'part', the same -mer you see in polymer. So to dimerize is to join two molecules together to make a pair, which is exactly what scientists mean when they say molecules dimerize.