cistron
cistron · cistrons
The unit of hereditary material that encodes one proteinThe unit of hereditary material (e.g. DNA) that encodes one protein.
Meaning
1 sensesThe unit of hereditary material (e.g. DNA) that encodes one protein.
Holonym: locus
Near-synonym: gene (often synonymous)
More definitions
- (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
Origin
Coined by American molecular biologist Seymour Benzer in 1957, from cis + trans + -on. NamCoined by American molecular biologist Seymour Benzer in 1957, from cis + trans + -on. Named in the context of using a "cis-trans comparison" for identifying " […] whether two mutants, having similar defects, are indeed defective in the same way."
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Forms
plural: cistronsSynonyms
2 synonymsWord family
5 related wordsRelatedreplicon