The decomposition or breaking apart of a cyclic (ring-shaped) molecular structure, often referring to the degradation of cyclic compounds in chemistry or biology.
From 'cyclo-' (Greek kyklos, ring) + 'lysis' (Greek lysis, breaking down/dissolution). The term became standard in biochemistry to describe the breakdown of ring structures within cells.
Cyclolysis is the opposite of cyclization—instead of folding a molecule into a ring, cells break the ring open to release energy or transform the molecule into something new, which is how your body dismantles old proteins and recycles them.
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