polynucleotide

American  

[pol-ee-noo-klee-uh-tahyd, -nyoo-] / ˌpɒl iˈnu kli əˌtaɪd, -ˈnyu- /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. a sequence of nucleotides, as in DNA or RNA, bound into a chain.

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polynucleotide British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈnjuːklɪəˌtaɪd /

noun

1. biochem a molecular chain of nucleotides chemically bonded by a series of ester linkages between the phosphoryl group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of the sugar in the adjacent nucleotide. Nucleic acids consist of long chains of polynucleotides

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Etymology

Origin of polynucleotide

First recorded in 1910–15; poly- + nucleotide

Example Sentences

A single session of polynucleotide injections can cost anywhere from £200 to £500 - and it's recommended you have three of these over several weeks.

From BBC • Nov. 21, 2025

When a polynucleotide is formed, the 5′ phosphate of the incoming nucleotide attaches to the 3′ hydroxyl group at the end of the growing chain.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

A polynucleotide may have thousands of such phosphodiester linkages.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

For polynucleotide synthesis to occur, the transcription machinery needs to move histones out of the way every time it encounters a nucleosome.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Only by the most special pleading could I imagine the polynucleotide backbone bending enough to accommodate irregular base sequences.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson