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

Example Sentences Phrases Containing gene Learn More About gene

Examples of gene in a Sentence

She inherited a good set of genes from her parents.

Recent Examples on the Web Researchers recently reported using gene-editing CRISPR tools to build a tomato richer in vitamin D, which could help people who do not get enough of the vitamin from other enriched foods or outdoor exposure to the sun. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2022 Somewhere in New Zealand, the first patient ever has been dosed with a kind of gene-editing treatment known as a base editor, a newer way of utilizing CRISPR for gene editing. — Matthew Herper, STAT, 13 July 2022 Much of the work on improving photosynthesis involves gene-editing plants, which is still a controversial technology in parts of the world—particularly in the EU. — Wired, 5 July 2022 So what’s the outlook like for the gene-editing theme at large? — Trefis Team, Forbes, 16 June 2022 Here’s the plan to bring it back: First, turn dunnart cells into thylacine cells using gene-editing technology. — Frances Vinall, Washington Post, 26 May 2022 Because of its broad commercial potential, the gene-editing technology has been surrounded by intellectual-property disputes for several years. — Brian Gormley, WSJ, 10 Mar. 2022 Nevertheless, investors have become wary of gene-editing stocks in the past year. — Angelica Peebles, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Mar. 2022 In the nine-hour surgery, doctors replaced his heart with one from a 1-year-old, 240-pound pig that was gene-edited and bred specifically for this purpose. — Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2022 See More

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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Dictionary Entries Near gene

gender variance

gene

genealogist

Statistics for gene

Last Updated

26 Jul 2022

Cite this Entry

“Gene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gene. Accessed 8 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for gene

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

gene

noun

\ ˈjēn