centromere

noun

cen·tro·mere ˈsen-trə-ˌmir

: the point or region on a chromosome to which the spindle (see spindle entry 1 sense 2) attaches during mitosis and meiosis

centromeric

ˌsen-trə-ˈmir-ik

-ˈmer-

adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Altemose plans on using the complete genome to explore a particularly mysterious region in each chromosome known as the centromere. —

Carl Zimmer New York Times, Star Tribune, 24 July 2021 Adam Phillippy and his team at NHGRI deserve special credit for their focused work to resolve the sequences of the ribosomal DNA arrays on each of the five acrocentric chromosomes, where the centromere is much closer to one end than to the center. —

Quanta Magazine, 8 Sep. 2021 In their first look, Altemose and his colleagues were struck by how different centromere regions can be from one person to another. —

Carl Zimmer New York Times, Star Tribune, 24 July 2021 In their first look, Dr. Altemose and his colleagues were struck by how different centromere regions can be from one person to another. —

New York Times, 23 July 2021 Chromosomes, of which humans have 23 pairs, each consist of a long, continuous stretch of DNA that can be condensed into a rod shape; the DNA at the centromere is particularly dense. —

Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 11 June 2021 But on five of the 23 total human chromosomes, the centromere is not precisely in the middle, instead favoring one end over the other, per the Atlantic. —

Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 June 2021 These sequencers still can’t handle chunks big enough to cross an entire centromere or a short arm, but at least the algorithms have larger puzzle pieces to assemble. —

Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 11 June 2021 On five human chromosomes, the centromere is not in the middle but very close to one end, dividing the chromosome into one long and one very short arm. —

Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 11 June 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'centromere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.