taurine1
/ˈtɔːriːn
/noun [mass noun] Biochemistry
An amino acid containing sulphur and important in the metabolism of fats.
- Chemical formula: NH2CH2CH2SO3H.
- Homocysteine is either metabolized to the amino acids cysteine and taurine (trans-sulfuration) or recycled to methionine by taking on a methyl group (methylation).
- Also, only the liver, pancreas, kidney, and intestine exhibit full activity of the trans-sulfuration pathway that metabolizes homocysteine to cysteine and taurine.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Greek tauros 'bull' (because it was originally obtained from ox bile) + -ine4.
Rhymes
taurine2
/ˈtɔːrʌɪn/adjective
1Of or like a bull: moustaches like taurine horns...
- The chief matador arms himself with two banderillas and proceeds to taunt the bull by himself assuming a taurine pose, banderillas poised above the head like horns.
- Presumably, Hanotte said, trade also brought zebu bulls that farmers interbred with domesticated taurine cows, producing the mixed herds of today.
- Janecek et al. found an anomalous association of yak with taurine cattle, which was explained by the sampling of an animal descending from a zebu via the maternal lineage.
1.1Relating to bullfighting: taurine skill...
- If you were to read the matadors' rankings and the corrida calendars in past issues of taurine magazines of the decade of the 80's, you would find very few names there of the matadors who have played a stellar role in the 1996 season.
Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin taurinus, from taurus 'bull'.