rhizoverbBeta
DictionarybiosynthesisMolecule production in living things
noun

biosynthesis

bye-oh-SIN-thuh-sis/bˌaɪoʊsˈɪnθɛsɪs/

The production of complex molecules by living cells or organisms.

The ribosome performs protein biosynthesis by joining amino acids into a chain.

Simple scientifically coherent cell vignette: a ribosome in cytoplasm assembles a chain of small amino-acid beads from separate incoming beads, emerging protein chain central.
Etymology
bioGreeklife
+synGreektogether
+thesisGreekto put, place

Synthesis is literally a “putting together,” extended to combining parts into a whole. The life component makes this chemical assembly the work of living cells.

In context

MIT OpenCourseWare19:16
one of the things she works on is peptidoglycan biosynthesis.
19. Cholesterol Biosynthesis 1

More examples

  • The experiment tracks an enzyme involved in biosynthesis.
  • Plants use biosynthesis to produce many complex compounds.
  • The mutation disrupts the biosynthesis of an essential molecule.

Similar words

synthesis
Production of compounds without necessarily a living organism.
metabolism
Includes both building up and breaking down substances.