complementary DNA

American  

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

noun

1. cDNA.

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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

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of complementary DNA

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The 'DNA origami' technique uses the specific interactions between complementary DNA base pairs to build dynamic 3D nano-objects.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

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

The overwhelming biological merits of a self- complementary DNA molecule made him effectively concede the race.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson