complementary DNA

American  

[kom-pluh-men-tuh-ree dee-en-ahy] / ˈkɒm pləˌmɛn tə ri ˈdiˈɛnˈaɪ /

noun

1. cDNA.

---

complementary DNA British  

noun

1. cDNA. a form of DNA artificially synthesized from a messenger RNA template and used in genetic engineering to produce gene clones

---

complementary DNA Scientific  

1. Single-stranded DNA synthesized in the laboratory using messenger RNA as a template and the enzyme reverse transcriptase. Complementary DNA is used for many purposes such as mapping chromosomes, creating clones, and sequencing genes.

---

Etymology

Origin of complementary DNA

First recorded in 1960–65

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

complementary DNA

PPRHs are single-stranded DNA molecules, known as oligonucleotides, that can bind precisely to complementary DNA or RNA sequences.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2025

DNA polymerase recognizes the 3'-OH end as its landing site; thus, polymerase “reads” the template strand in the 3' to 5' direction and builds the complementary DNA polymer in the 5' to 3' direction.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

The samples would be warmed up again, and enzymes would get to work building off those primers to finish replicating the complementary DNA sequences.

From Scientific American ● Feb. 16, 2022

DNA molecules are either designed using complementary DNA sequences or mixed in with DNA complementary to the opposing ends of the molecules that are to be joined.

From Nature ● May 18, 2011

We suspected that we had not made this error, but our judgment conceivably might be biased by the biological advantages of complementary DNA molecules.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---