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Genetics & Biotechnology vocabulary · DNA, Genes and Chromosomes

Nucleotide

Meaning in genetics & biotechnology, with examples

/ˈnuːkliəˌtaɪd/nounCore term

In genetics & biotechnology, nucleotide means: The basic building block of DNA and RNA, made of a sugar, a phosphate group and one of four bases. Long chains of nucleotides form a DNA or RNA strand.

In Turkish: nükleotit, nükleotid

How it is used

Used in molecular biology, sequencing and genetics. People talk about nucleotide sequences, nucleotide changes and single-nucleotide variants. In the lab, 'dNTPs' are the free nucleotides added to a PCR. Short sequences are measured in nucleotides (nt).

Example sentences

  1. A single nucleotide change in this codon replaces glycine with valine.

  2. The guide RNA has a 20-nucleotide sequence that matches the target.

Common collocations

  • nucleotide sequence
  • single-nucleotide variant
  • nucleotide change
  • free nucleotides (dNTPs)
  • base pairTwo bases on opposite DNA strands that are held together: A pairs with T, and G pairs with C. It is also the standard unit for measuring the length of DNA.
  • DNADeoxyribonucleic acid: the long, double-stranded molecule that stores the genetic instructions of almost all living things, written in four chemical bases: A, T, G and C.
  • codonA sequence of three bases in DNA or mRNA that codes for one amino acid or signals the start or end of protein building.
  • SNPSingle nucleotide polymorphism: a position in the genome where people commonly differ by one base. SNPs are the most common type of genetic variation.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: DNA, Genes and Chromosomes

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