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

In the case of severe flu, Casanova's team has identified two gene defects, one that limits the production of virus-fighting interferons and one not yet published. — Claudia Wallis, Scientific American, "Extreme Flu? Weird Encephalitis? It May Be Your Genes," 13 July 2018 The venture seeks to combine Bayer’s drugmaking know-how with the Broad’s gene-sequencing expertise to come up with new treatments for heart disease. — Jonathan Saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, "Bayer AG teams up with the Broad to tackle congestive heart failure," 28 June 2018 Those genes have recipes for proteins that lead to a bunch of traits, from the texture of our ear wax to the color of our eyes. — Julia Belluz, Vox, "Why doctors are so bad at predicting pregnancy due dates," 9 June 2018 Apple PodcastsGoogle Play MusicSpotifyiHeartRadioTuneInStitcherRSSAmazon Alexa Get Ready for Gene-Edited Food Vegetables engineered with the gene-editing technology Crispr are moving closer to supermarket shelves. — Daniela Hernandez, WSJ, "How Robots Are Making Better Drugs, Faster," 6 June 2018 Luckily, these folks have developed a nice little workaround, thanks to a gene-editing tool that could help create a hop-free beer. — Ac Shilton, Outside Online, "The Scientists Trying to Save Beer from Climate Change," 30 May 2018 As the equipment becomes cheaper and the expertise in gene-editing techniques, mostly Crispr-Cas9, more widely shared, citizen-scientists are attempting to reengineer DNA in surprising ways. — Emily Baumgaertner, BostonGlobe.com, "As gene editing spreads, risk of biological weapons looms," 16 May 2018 As the equipment becomes cheaper and the expertise in gene-editing techniques, mostly Crispr-Cas9, more widely shared, citizen-scientists are attempting to re-engineer DNA in surprising ways. — Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, "As D.I.Y. Gene Editing Gains Popularity, ‘Someone Is Going to Get Hurt’," 14 May 2018 Companies are popping up around a powerful gene-editing tool called Crispr, which is revolutionizing the speed and scope with which scientists can modify the DNA of organisms, including human cells. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: Read this, then change your Twitter password," 4 May 2018

These 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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Last Updated

10 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for gene

The first known use of gene was in 1909

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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