microsatellite

British

/ ˌmaɪkrəʊˈsætəˌlaɪt /

noun

genetics a section of DNA consisting of very short nucleotide sequences repeated many times, the number of repeats varying between members of the species: used as a marker in determining genetic diversity, identifying important genetic traits, and in forensics, population studies, and paternity studies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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microsatellite

In 2025, the Jinan-1 microsatellite pushed this work further by establishing a 12,900 km quantum connection between China and South Africa.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 17, 2025

The first Electron mission from Wallops will entail launching an experimental microsatellite for the US Air Force as part of the agency’s Space Test Program.

From The Verge ● Dec. 12, 2019

In the data set represented in our report, we used 19 microsatellite loci, and all paternity assignments were at 95% confidence.

From Science Magazine ● May 2, 2013

Genetic material in hand, they used a powerful microsatellite array - an analysis of unique repeating sequences of DNA - to identify the number of males that sired the females' young.

From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2013

Information on sequencing and bioinformatics includes methods for DNA isolation; library construction and genomic sequencing; sequence read alignment; SNP, microsatellite and transposable element identification; genotypes for assurance of sample identity; and Wolbachia detection.

From Nature ● Feb. 8, 2012

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023