guanine

noun

gua·​nine ˈgwä-ˌnēn How to pronounce guanine (audio)
: a purine base C5H5N5O that codes genetic information in the polynucleotide chain of DNA or RNA compare adenine, cytosine, thymine, uracil

Examples of guanine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the double helix of DNA, the four types of bases in the opposing strands are paired, with guanine (G) bound to cytosine (C) and thymine (T) bound to adenine (A). Dan Samorodnitsky, Quanta Magazine, 17 Jan. 2024 The molecule is made up of the chemical bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine—shortened to A, C, G, and T—which pair off to form a double helix. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2023 This storage system works by converting digital information to the elements that make up DNA: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). Emma Roth, The Verge, 4 Dec. 2023 Adenine pairs with thymine, and cytosine with guanine; a short strand made up, for example, of ATCG would bind to TAGC and not other sequences. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2023 The molecules are called bases and are represented by the letters A (adenine), T (thymine), G (guanine), and C (cytosine). IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2016 Each floor, called a tetrad, has a guanine (G) base on all four corners. Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 27 Jan. 2014 Just four molecules make up all of our genes: Adenine (A), which can only pair with thymine (T), and cytosine (C), which can only pair with guanine (G). Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 9 Dec. 2020 The top layer of chameleon skin contains guanine crystals arranged in a lattice. Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2015

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'guanine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

guano + -ine; from its being found especially in guano

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of guanine was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near guanine

Cite this Entry

“Guanine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guanine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

guanine

noun
gua·​nine ˈgwän-ˌēn How to pronounce guanine (audio)
: a purine base that codes genetic information in DNA and RNA compare adenine, cytosine, thymine, uracil

Medical Definition

guanine

noun
gua·​nine ˈgwän-ˌēn How to pronounce guanine (audio)
: a purine base C5H5N5O that codes genetic information in the polynucleotide chain of DNA or RNA compare adenine, cytosine, thymine, uracil

More from Merriam-Webster on guanine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!