Acylate

/ˈeɪsɪleɪt/ verb

Definition

To introduce an acyl group into a molecule, a common chemical reaction in organic synthesis.

Etymology

From 'acyl' + '-ate' (verb suffix). The term follows standard chemical nomenclature where '-ate' verbs describe adding a group or compound to a molecule.

Kelly Says

Acetylation (a type of acylation) is mind-blowingly important—it's how your cells turn genes on and off without changing the DNA sequence itself, controlling everything from immune responses to cancer development!

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