gene
noun
\ ˈjēn
\
\
plural genes
Definition of gene
: a specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that is located usually on a chromosome and that is the functional unit of inheritance controlling the transmission and expression of one or more traits by specifying the structure of a particular polypeptide and especially a protein or controlling the function of other genetic material
Examples of gene in a Sentence
She inherited a good set of genes from her parents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Similar changes to similar genes in humans could have similar effects. — Markham Heid, Time, "Should Parents Worry About Kids Drinking Coffee?," 5 Sep. 2019 Both approaches pointed to a gene for an enzyme that makes arabinose, a sugar found primarily in the plant cell wall, Willis reported. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "Meet the monkeyflower, a weed that may hold the key to zebra stripes and other biological mysteries," 29 Aug. 2019 And the bacterial bits included a few genes for antibiotic resistance commonly found in plasmids. — Megan Molteni, WIRED, "Brazil's Plans for Gene-Edited Cows Got Scrapped—Here's Why," 26 Aug. 2019 Scientists at the Weill Cornell Medical College are reportedly testing out ways to modify genes in sperm in order to prevent genetic disorders passed on from males. — Sy Mukherjee, Fortune, "Obamacare Plans Are Turning a Profit: Brainstorm Health," 22 Aug. 2019 Scientists are doing just that by introducing into native tree species genes from related species from the pests’ original ecosystems — which typically evolved to have a measure of resistance to the pests. — NBC News, "Survey of U.S. forests ties tree-killing insects to climate change," 15 Aug. 2019 For this to work, the target region of the brain would need to be infected with the virus carrying the genes for the sound-sensitive protein. — Sreekanth Chalasani, The Conversation, "The new field of sonogenetics uses sound waves to control the behavior of brain cells," 9 Aug. 2019 The bacteria can acquire resistance genes from other bacteria and cause antibiotic-resistant infections that are currently rare in the U.S. — Fox News, "Utah resident dies after weight-loss surgery in Mexico, 7 others sickened: health officials," 23 July 2019 Examples are genes for drought tolerance, increased yield and resistance to disease. — Lee Roop | Lroop@al.com, al.com, "Alabama research may help secure the chocolate supply," 22 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for gene
gene
noun
English Language Learners Definition of gene
biology
: a part of a cell that controls or influences the appearance, growth, etc., of a living thing
See the full definition for gene in the English Language Learners Dictionary
gene
noun
\ ˈjēn
\
\
Kids Definition of gene
: a unit of DNA that is usually located on a chromosome and that controls the development of one or more traits and is the basic unit by which genetic information is passed from parent to offspring
gene
noun
\ ˈjēn
\
\
Medical Definition of gene
: a specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that is located usually on a chromosome and that is the functional unit of inheritance controlling the transmission and expression of one or more traits by specifying the structure of a particular polypeptide and especially a protein or controlling the function of other genetic material
— called also determinant, determiner, factor
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