cDNA
Definition
Noun: 1. Complementary DNA: A form of DNA synthesized from a messenger RNA (mRNA) template using the enzyme reverse transcriptase. It is complementary to the mRNA sequence and, unlike genomic DNA, lacks introns.
Usage
- cdna is used primarily in molecular biology and genetics contexts to refer to the DNA copy of an mRNA molecule.
- It is often used as a tool for gene cloning, studying gene expression, and creating cDNA libraries.
Examples
- The researcher synthesized cdna from the isolated mRNA to study the gene's expression pattern.
- A cdna library represents the genes that were actively being transcribed in a cell at a specific time.
- Comparing genomic DNA to cdna can help identify the exons of a gene.
Advanced Usage
- Full-length cdna: A cDNA that contains the complete coding sequence of a gene, from the start codon to the stop codon, corresponding to a fully processed mRNA.
- cdna clone: A DNA fragment, derived from cDNA, that has been inserted into a vector for propagation and study.
- cdna synthesis: The laboratory process of creating cDNA from an RNA template using reverse transcriptase.
Variants and Related Words
- Complementary DNA: The full term for cDNA.
- Reverse Transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR): A technique that uses cDNA as a template to amplify specific sequences via PCR, commonly used to measure gene expression levels.
- Expressed Sequence Tag (EST): A short subsequence of a cDNA sequence, used to identify gene transcripts.
Synonyms
- Complementary DNA (the formal, unabbreviated synonym).
- Copy DNA (a less common but occasionally used synonym).
Notes
- cdna is typically written in lowercase, though the initialism is derived from "complementary DNA." It is a specific technical term with no direct, common-language synonyms outside of scientific discourse.
- It is not used in idiomatic expressions or phrasal verbs due to its highly specialized nature.
Noun
-
single-stranded DNA that is complementary to messenger RNA or DNA that has been synthesized from messenger RNA by reverse transcriptase
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "cDNA"
Từ có nhắc đến "cDNA"