phosphoglucomutase

9.9

A protein in cells that helps change a form of sugar so the body can use or store energy

noun
/ˌfɑsfoʊˌɡluːkoʊˈmjuːteɪs/

Specialized

: fosfoglucomutasa

The enzyme phosphoglucomutase plays a crucial role in converting glucose-1-phosphate to glucose-6-phosphate during carbohydrate metabolism.

Examples

In addition, a specific variant of the enzyme phosphoglucomutase occurs with a frequency of only about 21 percent among both the Ashkenazim and Eastern European Gentiles, but at a higher frequency of 26 to 32 percent among both Mediterranean Jews and Gentiles.

Academic text (1993)
In humans, phosphoglucomutase is essential for proper glucose metabolism and is involved in the regulation of glycogen storage.
Researchers studied how phosphoglucomutase affects energy production in cells by facilitating the conversion of glucose-1-phosphate.

Surface Forms

phosphoglucomutase singular

phosphoglucomutases plural

Morphology

phosphoglucomutase = mutase (opaque) = phospho + gluco + mut + ase

The word is a specialized biochemical name formed from technical combining forms and the enzyme suffix '-ase', so its meaning is not guessable by an average B1 learner from the parts.

Etymology

Phosphoglucomutase breaks into parts: phospho- meaning 'phosphate', gluco- meaning 'sugar' as in glucose, and -mutase meaning 'to change', like 'mutate'. So it is an enzyme that 'changes' the position of a phosphate on a sugar, which is why it turns glucose-1-phosphate into glucose-6-phosphate.