oligonucleotide

noun

ol·i·go·nu·cle·o·tide | \ ə-ˌli-gə-ˈnü-klē-ə-ˌtīd

, -ˈnyü-\

Definition of oligonucleotide

: a short nucleic-acid chain usually consisting of up to approximately 20 nucleotides

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The traditional approach takes DNA nucleotides—the chemical letters A, G, C, and T—and adds them, one by one, to a growing chain called an oligonucleotide, or oligo. — Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, "New technique could help scientists create a gene in just 1 day," 18 June 2018 An alternative treatment, drugs based on chemicals known as antisense oligonucleotides, is in clinical trials. — Nicholas Wade, New York Times, "Gene Editing Offers Hope for Treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Studies Find," 31 Dec. 2015 Upon receipt, the sequence is run through biosafety and biosecurity checks, and ultimately constructed through the enzymatic assembly of shorter oligonucleotide chains. — Jeffrey Marlow, WIRED, "Mobilizing the Planet’s Genetic Diversity with Synthetic Biology," 31 Mar. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oligonucleotide.' 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 oligonucleotide

The first known use of oligonucleotide was in 1942

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oligonucleotide

noun

oli·go·nu·cle·o·tide | \ -ˈn(y)ü-klē-ə-ˌtīd

Medical Definition of oligonucleotide

: a relatively short single-stranded nucleic-acid chain (as an oligodeoxynucleotide or oligoribonucleotide) usually consisting of up to approximately 20 nucleotides