Definition of "polymerase" [polymerase]

• Any of various enzymes, such as DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, or reverse transcriptase, that catalyze the formation of polynucleotides of DNA or RNA using an existing strand of DNA or RNA as a template. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "I'm not sure what you are referring to by 'known mycobacterial mutations', but the main polymerase responsible for induced mutagenesis in M. tuberculosis including antibiotic resistance following infection"
• "A key part of Pacific Biosciences 'system is an enzyme called polymerase that human cells use to copy DNA."
• "You cite an example of defects in polymerase proofreading and mismatch repair leading to an increased risk of cancer."