NUCLEIC ACID

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nucleic acid mean? 

• NUCLEIC ACID (noun)
  The noun NUCLEIC ACID has 1 sense:

1. (biochemistry) any of various macromolecules composed of nucleotide chains that are vital constituents of all living cells

  Familiarity information: NUCLEIC ACID used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NUCLEIC ACID (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(biochemistry) any of various macromolecules composed of nucleotide chains that are vital constituents of all living cells

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("nucleic acid" is a kind of...):

macromolecule; supermolecule (any very large complex molecule; found only in plants and animals)

Domain category:

biochemistry (the organic chemistry of compounds and processes occurring in organisms; the effort to understand biology within the context of chemistry)

Holonyms ("nucleic acid" is a part of...):

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)

ribonucleic acid; RNA ((biochemistry) a long linear polymer of nucleotides found in the nucleus but mainly in the cytoplasm of a cell where it is associated with microsomes; it transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm and controls certain chemical processes in the cell)

 Context examples 

Capsid proteins surround and protect the viral nucleic acid core.

(Capsid Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

The outer protein protective shell of a virus, which protects the viral nucleic acid.

(Capsid Protein, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Any of a number of molecular biological techniques that are used to copy nucleic acid sequences within a specimen, leading to an increase in the number of copies of that sequence of interest.

(Nucleic Acid Amplification Test, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The metabolism of nucleic acids and their components.

(Nucleic Acid Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

Includes recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and nucleic acids.

(Biological agent, NCI Thesaurus)

This nucleic acid is involved in the modulation of target gene transcription or mRNA translation.

(MIR376C Pre-miRNA, NCI Thesaurus)

Terminology relevant to the type of nucleic acid which was derived from the collected sample.

(CDISC Genetic Sample Type Terminology, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Found as one or multiple copies of a conserved 70-aa motif in diverse nucleic acid binding, and other, proteins, the KH domain binds RNA; each motif appears necessary for binding.

(NOVA Family, NCI Thesaurus)

Methylation of proteins or nucleic acids may affect how they act in the body.

(Methylation, NCI Dictionary)

This nucleic acid may regulate the transcription or translation of other genes.

(microRNA, NCI Thesaurus)