sialic acid
noun
: any of a group of reducing amido acids that are essentially carbohydrates and are found especially as components of blood glycoproteins and mucoproteins
Examples of sialic acid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The results are potentially important but also preliminary, Beer cautions, noting that distinguishing between some types of sialic acids can be difficult.
—
Bykai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 7 May 2024
Like different picks in a locksmith’s tool, the 17 known subtypes of hemagglutinin, a surface protein on influenza strains, match different sialic acid receptors on a host cell.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 1 Nov. 2013
In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers genetically modified mice to resemble humans in the deficiency of a sialic acid called Neu5Gc.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2019
This type of linkage makes the sialic acid and galactose stick straight up.
—Quanta Magazine, 25 Feb. 2020
The flu virus normally infects cells in the lungs by binding through its haemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins to sialic acid on the surface of lung cells.
—Neil Savage, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2019
Prehuman ancestors lost the ability to make a sugar molecule called a sialic acid.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2019
These include overactive white blood cells and a tendency to diabetes in mice lacking the sialic acid.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2019
This gene included a sialic acid sugar molecule called Neu5Gc.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 July 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bykai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 7 May 2024
Like different picks in a locksmith’s tool, the 17 known subtypes of hemagglutinin, a surface protein on influenza strains, match different sialic acid receptors on a host cell.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 1 Nov. 2013
In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers genetically modified mice to resemble humans in the deficiency of a sialic acid called Neu5Gc.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 8 Sep. 2019
This type of linkage makes the sialic acid and galactose stick straight up.
—Quanta Magazine, 25 Feb. 2020
The flu virus normally infects cells in the lungs by binding through its haemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins to sialic acid on the surface of lung cells.
—Neil Savage, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2019
Prehuman ancestors lost the ability to make a sugar molecule called a sialic acid.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2019
These include overactive white blood cells and a tendency to diabetes in mice lacking the sialic acid.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2019
This gene included a sialic acid sugar molecule called Neu5Gc.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 22 July 2019
Dictionary Entries Near sialic acid
Cite this Entry
“Sialic acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sialic%20acid. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
sialic acid
noun
si·al·ic acid
(ˌ)sī-ˌal-ik- 
: any of a group of reducing amido acids that are essentially carbohydrates and are found especially as components of blood glycoproteins and mucoproteins
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share