Genes and genetics

someone who can pass a genetic disease to their children without suffering from it themselves

to have a gene that causes a particular biological characteristic to be passed on

a structure that looks like a very small piece of string and that exists, usually as one of a pair, in the central part of all living cells. Chromosomes contain genes.

clone (noun)

biology an exact copy of an animal or plant created in a laboratory from the animal’s or plant’s DNA

clone (verb)

to create an animal or plant in a laboratory that is an exact copy of another using the original animal’s or plant’s DNA

cloning (noun)

the process of creating an animal or plant in a laboratory that is an exact copy of another using the original animal’s or plant’s DNA

cross (verb)

biology to combine one breed of animal with another, or to mix one type of plant with another, in order to produce an animal or plant that is genetically different from both parents

cross-fertilise ()

a British spelling of cross-fertilize

cross-fertilization (noun)

biology the process of fertilizing one type of plant with pollen from a different type of plant in order to produce a new genetic mix

cross-fertilize (verb)

biology to fertilize one type of plant with pollen from a different type of plant in order to produce a new genetic mix

deoxyribonucleic acid ()

DNA

DNA (noun)

deoxyribonucleic acid: a chemical substance that contains genetic information and is found in all living cells and some viruses

DNA fingerprinting (noun)

the scientific examination of someone’s DNA to find out whether they are someone’s father, whether they have committed a crime etc

dominant (adjective)

biology a dominant gene causes someone to be born with particular genetic features, even if it is only present in one parent

double helix (noun)

the DNA molecule that consists of two chains of nucleotides and has a shape like a twisted ladder

gene (noun)

a pattern of chemicals within a cell that carries information about the qualities passed to a living thing from its parents

gene editing (noun)

a type of genetic engineering in which DNA is inserted, replaced or removed from a genome using specially engineered enzymes called restriction enzymes or molecular scissors

gene pool (noun)

the total of all the genes within a species (=a group of animals or plants)

gene therapy (noun)

a medical treatment in which genes are put into cells in the body in order to cure some types of illness

genetic (adjective)

relating to genes, or to the study of genes

genetically modified (adjective)

a genetically modified plant or animal has had its genetic structure changed in order to make it more suitable for a particular purpose

genetic code (noun)

the arrangement of genes that makes an individual develop in a particular way

genetic engineering (noun)

the practice or science of adding genes to a living thing, especially in order to make it more suitable for a particular purpose

genetic fingerprinting (noun)

a method of examining someone’s DNA (=genetic structure) which is individual to them and not shared by anyone else

geneticist (noun)

a scientist who studies or works in genetics

genetic modification (noun)

genetic engineering

genetic profiling (noun)

the scientific examination of DNA from body cells, especially in order to find out who committed a crime

genetics (noun)

the study of how the individual features and behaviour of living things are passed on through their genes

genetic screening (noun)

the practice of examining someone’s genes in order to find out what illnesses may be likely to affect them

genome (noun)

the total amount of genetic information in the chromosomes of a living thing, including its genes and DNA

genotype (noun)

a living thing considered as the set of genes that it has, rather than what it looks like, how big it is etc

GM (adjective)

genetically modified: used for describing crops whose genes have been changed to give them particular qualities, or for describing foods made from them

GM (adjective)

connected with the production of GM crops or foods

GMO (noun)

genetically modified organism: a plant or animal whose genes have been changed to give it a particular quality that it would not normally have

hard-wired (adjective)

behaviour that is hard-wired is caused by your genes and the way that your brain is made, rather than learnt from experience

hereditary (adjective)

biology a hereditary disease or quality is passed from a parent to a child in their genes

heredity (noun)

the genetic process by which particular characteristics or diseases are passed on

heterozygous (adjective)

a heterozygous cell or organism has two different forms of a particular gene for something such as eye colour

homozygous (adjective)

a homozygous cell or organism has two of the same form of a particular gene for something such as eye colour

inherit (verb)

to be born with a gene that causes a particular biological characteristic to be passed on

inheritance (noun)

biology the process by which characteristics are passed to a living thing from its parents through their genes

inherited (adjective)

an inherited disease or quality is one that is passed on through the genes

locus (noun)

science the position of a gene on a chromosome

mutagen (noun)

a substance that produces a genetic mutation

mutant (noun)

a plant or animal that is different from others of its type as a result of a change in its genes

mutate (verb)

to become physically different from other plants or animals of the same type as a result of a genetic change

mutation (noun)

a change in the genes of a plant or animal that causes it to become different from others of its type

pass on ()

to give something such as a disease to your children through your genes

recessive (adjective)

a recessive gene is one that needs to be present in both parents in order to produce a particular feature or quality in a child

reproductive cloning (noun)

the process of creating in a laboratory a human or animal that is an exact copy of another, using the DNA of the original human or animal

sequence (noun)

biology the order in which the parts of a molecule or gene are arranged

sequence (verb)

to find out and record the order of the individual parts that make up a molecule, gene etc

sex chromosome (noun)

a chromosome that controls what the sex of a living thing will be, for example the X-chromosomes and Y-chromosomes in humans and animals

telomere (noun)

a structure made of DNA and protein located at the end of chromosomes that prevents damage during cell division

therapeutic cloning (noun)

the process of creating new organs or other body parts that a patient’s body will accept because they are made from cells that contain their own DNA

transgenic (adjective)

a transgenic plant or animal contains genes from a different plant or animal that have been introduced using a laboratory technique

vector (noun)

science a very small part of a cell, used in genetic engineering for carrying genetic material from one cell to another

X-chromosome (noun)

a type of chromosome (=genetic material in a cell) that decides what sex a human or animal will be. In humans, females have two X-chromosomes and males have one.

Y-chromosome (noun)

a type of chromosome (=genetic material in a cell) that is only found in human or animal males

Synonyms and antonyms of Genes and genetics in British Thesaurus