Definition

A type of enzyme found in some microorganisms that helps in chemical reactions involving hydrogen, either by breaking down substances or by using hydrogen gas.

Example

The hydrogenase enzyme plays a crucial role in the energy metabolism of certain bacteria.

Conversation

I read an interesting article about hydrogenase enzymes today.

Oh really? What did it say about them?

It explained how they help microorganisms use hydrogen as energy.

That sounds fascinating! I love learning about how tiny things work.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hydrogenase → It is formed from "hydro-" (from Greek "hydor", meaning water) and "-gen" (from Greek "genes", meaning creator or producer) and "-ase" (a suffix used in biochemistry to denote enzymes). The word "hydrogenase" refers to an enzyme that produces or generates hydrogen, often in the context of biochemical reactions involving water.

Memory Tip

Think of 'water' ('hydro-') being 'produced' ('-gen') by an enzyme ('-ase'). This helps you remember that hydrogenase is an enzyme that generates hydrogen.

Visually Confused Words