isomerase

This term is used exclusively within biochemistry and molecular biology to describe a specific class of enzymes. It carries a neutral, technical register and is typically found in scientific literature, textbooks, and laboratory reports. The term describes a precise chemical action: the internal reorganization of atoms within a single molecule to create a structural isomer.

Because it refers to a specific biological catalyst, it is used in a highly literal sense. It is often paired with the specific substrate it acts upon, such as in "phosphoglucose isomerase," to specify the exact reaction being catalyzed.