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

Or that the most expensive face cream on the market will give me J. Lo's glow-from-within complexion (no, only J. Lo's genes will do that). — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, "This $85 Face Scrub Completely Transformed My Skin," 7 Jan. 2019 But these mutations—present on genes that can normally help suppress tumor activity via producing proteins that repair DNA—can also increase your risk for other cancers, including ovarian cancer. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "How Your BRCA Status May Impact Your Ovarian Cancer Treatment," 17 Dec. 2018 At the end, a causal change in leukocyte gene expression was observed, which is consistent with claims that being kind can actually strengthen your immune system. — Brennan Kilbane, Allure, "How Random Acts of Kindness Can Improve Your Health and Wellbeing," 1 Aug. 2018 Trump seems not to have that gene in him -- or to listen to people who do. — Chris Cillizza, CNN, "Donald Trump just put the 'Me' in his Memorial Day tweet," 28 May 2018 It was intended to replace a mutant gene in Jack’s retinal cells that impaired his vision. — Eric Boodman, STAT, "After nerve-wracking eye surgery, the world comes into focus for early gene therapy recipient," 17 May 2018 Clock genes regulate the expression of between 5 and 20 percent of all the other genes in the cell. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "Why being a night owl may lead to earlier death," 27 Apr. 2018 The Warburg pathway – cancer connection The O'Malley laboratory identified years ago SRC-3, a protein that is an important regulator of gene expression. — Staff Report, Houston Chronicle, "Answers to 100-year-old mystery point to potential breast cancer therapies," 9 Apr. 2018 Out of 5,776 samples, federal health officials identified rare antibiotic-resistant genes in more than 200 of them in 27 states across the country. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "The CDC Has Detected Rare "Nightmare Bacteria" in 27 States," 6 Apr. 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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17 Jan 2019

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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