complementary DNA

[ kom-pluh-men-tuh-ree dee-en-ahy ]

noun

1. cDNA.

complementary DNA

noun

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

complementary DNA

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of complementary DNA¹

First recorded in 1960–65