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Definition of genetic marker
: a readily recognizable genetic trait, gene, DNA segment, or gene product used for identification especially when closely linked to a trait or genetic material that is difficult to identify
Examples of genetic marker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web Because genetic markers are used to determine matches, donors are most likely to be someone who shares the same ethnic background.
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Vanessa Hua, SFChronicle.com, "Just the right person can save a little boy," 19 Sep. 2019 Modern-day people did not evolve from Denisovans or Neanderthals, although our species interbred with both and picked up genetic markers that are still detectable in some populations.
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San Diego Union-Tribune, "From DNA, scientists create skull of Neanderthal cousin," 19 Sep. 2019 That is a high number of genetic markers for a supposedly extinct people.
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Haruka Sakaguchi, National Geographic, "Meet the survivors of a ‘paper genocide’," 14 Oct. 2019 Fraudsters preyed on people's fears of harboring genetic markers for cancer.
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Author: Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, Anchorage Daily News, "Feds crack Medicare gene test fraud that peddled cheek swabs," 28 Sep. 2019 Analyzing mitochondrial and Y chromosome DNA from human populations has turned up hundreds of genetic markers (DNA sites having identifiable mutations specific to particular lineages).
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Gary Stix, Scientific American, "Traces of a Distant Past," 1 Nov. 2012 The team found five genetic markers significantly associated with answering yes to those queries.
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Jocelyn Kaiser, Science | AAAS, "Genetics may explain up to 25% of same-sex behavior, giant analysis reveals," 29 Aug. 2019 That pulls off the double-whammy of expanding a cancer drug’s reach while also narrowing its use cases based on genetic markers.
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Sy Mukherjee, Fortune, "Can Disturbing Graphics Scare People Off of Cigarettes?—Brainstorm Health," 15 Aug. 2019 The study did show that people in present-day Basque, who speak Western Europe’s only non-Indo-European language, carry genetic markers closely related to those of the steppe people.
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Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "Surprising DNA found in ancient people from southern Europe," 14 Mar. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'genetic marker.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for genetic marker
The first known use of genetic marker was in 1932
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