GENE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does gene mean? 

• GENE (noun)
  The noun GENE has 1 sense:

1. (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

  Familiarity information: GENE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GENE (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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

cistron; factor; gene

Context example:

genes were formerly called factors

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"):

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)

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)

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)

 Context examples 

This gene may play a role in the regulation of both apoptosis and gene transcription.

(AATF Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

It is caused, in some cases, by the inheritance of a mutation of the LSC1 gene on chromosome 15.

(Aagenaes Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

This gene plays a role in muscle and neuronal development.

(MEF2D Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Mutations and deletions of the gene are associated with severe mental retardation, stereotypic movements, epilepsy, and cerebral malformation.

(MEF2C wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

Many of the genes for the three components form operons as in fact observed in many bacterial and archaeal genomes.

(ABC Transporter Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

Human A/G-specific adenine DNA glycosylase protein (546 aa, approximately 60 kD) is encoded by the MUTYH gene.

(A/G-Specific Adenine DNA Glycosylase, NCI Thesaurus)

A-kinase anchor protein 10, mitochondrial (662 aa, ~74 kDa) is encoded by the human AKAP10 gene.

(A-Kinase Anchor Protein 10, Mitochondrial, NCI Thesaurus)

Studies with homozygous knockout mice have suggested that stem cell factor (SCF or KITLG), c-Kit, microphthalmia (Mitf), and B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) genes regulate melanocytic development.

(Melanocyte Development Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

People with certain changes in the gene for melanocortin 1 receptor have a higher risk of developing melanoma (skin cancer that begins in melanocytes).

(Melanocortin 1 receptor, NCI Dictionary)

This gene plays a role in embryonic development and cell differentiation.

(MEIS1 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)