Library / English Dictionary

GENE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

(genetics) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity

Example:

genes were formerly called factors

Synonyms:

cistron; factor; gene

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("gene" is a kind of...):

sequence (serial arrangement in which things follow in logical order or a recurrent pattern)

Domain category:

genetic science; genetics (the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms)

molecular biology (the branch of biology that studies the structure and activity of macromolecules essential to life (and especially with their genetic role))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gene"):

holandric gene; Y-linked gene (a gene located on a Y chromosome)

X-linked gene (a gene located on an X chromosome)

transgene (an exogenous gene introduced into the genome of another organism)

suppresser; suppresser gene; suppressor; suppressor gene (a gene that suppresses the phenotypic expression of another gene (especially of a mutant gene))

structural gene (a gene that controls the production of a specific protein or peptide)

repressor gene (gene that prevents a nonallele from being transcribed)

regulator gene; regulatory gene (a gene that produces a repressor substance that inhibits an operator gene)

recessive gene (gene that produces its characteristic phenotype only when its allele is identical)

proto-oncogene (a normal gene that has the potential to become an oncogene)

polygene (a gene that by itself has little effect on the phenotype but which can act together with others to produce observable variations)

oncogene; transforming gene (a gene that disposes normal cells to change into cancerous tumor cells)

operator gene (a gene that activates the production of messenger RNA by adjacent structural genes)

nonallele (genes that are not competitors at the same locus)

mutant gene (a gene that has changed so that the normal transmission and expression of a trait is affected)

modifier; modifier gene (a gene that modifies the effect produced by another gene)

linkage group; linked genes (any pair of genes that tend to be transmitted together)

lethal gene (any gene that has an effect that causes the death of the organism at any stage of life)

homeotic gene (one the genes that are involved in embryologic development)

genetic marker (a specific gene that produces a recognizable trait and can be used in family or population studies)

allele; allelomorph ((genetics) either of a pair (or series) of alternative forms of a gene that can occupy the same locus on a particular chromosome and that control the same character)

dominant gene (gene that produces the same phenotype in the organism whether or not its allele identical)

Holonyms ("gene" is a part of...):

chromosome (a threadlike strand of DNA in the cell nucleus that carries the genes in a linear order)

deoxyribonucleic acid; desoxyribonucleic acid; DNA ((biochemistry) a long linear polymer found in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides and shaped like a double helix; associated with the transmission of genetic information)

Derivation:

genetic; genetical (of or relating to the science of genetics)

genetical; genic (of or relating to or produced by or being a gene)

Credits

 Context examples: 

This gene encodes a member of the AKAP family.

(A Kinase Anchor Protein 12, NCI Thesaurus/LocusLink)

This gene plays a role in muscular and vascular development.

(MEF2C Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Researchers realized that genes weren’t protecting them, because those who moved away from the Kuna islands developed high blood pressure and heart disease at typical rates.

(Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

This gene is involved in bile metabolism.

(ABCC3 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Mutation of the gene is associated with Dubin-Johnson syndrome.

(ABCC2 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene plays a role in both cellular detoxification and platelet degranulation.

(ABCC4 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene plays a role in the transport of organic anions and nucleotides.

(ABCC5 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene plays a role in ATP catabolism.

(ABCF2 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in lipid oxidation.

(Medium-Chain Specific Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene is involved in multi-drug resistance, antigen presentation and is postulated to play a role in mitochondrial function.

(ABCB6 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)