gene
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From German Gen, from Ancient Greek γενεά (geneá, “generation, descent”), from the aorist infinitive of γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). Coined by the Danish biologist Wilhelm Ludvig Johannsen in a German-language publication, from the last syllable of pangene.[1]
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
gene (plural genes)
- (genetics) A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms ; a gene may take several values and in principle predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.
- Coordinate term: cistron
- 2013 June 21, Karen McVeigh, “US rules human genes can't be patented”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 10:
- The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.
- (molecular biology) A segment of DNA or RNA from a cell's or an organism's genome, that may take several forms and thus parameterizes a phenomenon, in general the structure of a protein; locus.
- A change in a gene is reflected in the protein or RNA molecule that it codes for.
Usage notesEdit
In the simplest case and in principle, a gene locus is supposed to be the physical reality corresponding to the theoretical gene unit of heredity; in practice, things are far more complicated and confused, which is well known and acknowledged. However, these questions are the subject of still very active scientific research, as well as the topic of both scientific and philosophical questions, especially on the real compatibility between both senses of the term.
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
See alsoEdit
TranslationsEdit
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Further readingEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Wilhelm Ludvig Johannsen (1909) Elemente der exakten Erblichkeitslehre [Elements of exact heredity][1] (in German), Jena: Gustav Fischer, page 124:
- Darum scheint es am einfachsten, aus Darwin's[sic] bekanntem Wort die uns allein interessierende letzte Silbe „Gen“ isoliert zu verwerten, um damit das schlechte, mehrdeutige Wort „Anlage“ zu ersetzen.
AnagramsEdit
DanishEdit
EtymologyEdit
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
gene c (singular definite genen, plural indefinite gener)
- Something that bothers; a nuisance.
- Røgen fra skorstenen er til gene for naboerne.
- The smoke from the chimney is bothering the neighbours.
DeclensionEdit
ReferencesEdit
- “gene” in Den Danske Ordbog
DutchEdit
ItalianEdit
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
NounEdit
gene m (plural geni)
Related termsEdit
Etymology 2Edit
See the etymology of the main entry.
NounEdit
gene f pl
Middle DutchEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old Dutch *gēn, from Proto-Germanic *jainaz.
PronunciationEdit
DeterminerEdit
gêne
DescendantsEdit
- Dutch: geen
Further readingEdit
- “ghene (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “gene”, in Middelniederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN
PortugueseEdit
NounEdit
gene m (plural genes)
Related termsEdit
Further readingEdit
- “gene” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.