Genetics Terminology

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Nucleic Acid

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Biomolecules essential for all known forms of life, including DNA and RNA.

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Nucleotide

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The basic building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

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Chromosome

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A long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism.

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Gene

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A sequence of DNA or RNA that codes for a molecule that has a function.

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RNA

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Ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its principal role is to act as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins.

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RNA Primer

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A short strand of RNA or DNA that serves as a starting point for DNA synthesis.

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Okazaki Fragments

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Short sequences of DNA nucleotides which are synthesized discontinuously and later linked together by the enzyme DNA ligase to create the lagging strand during DNA replication.

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Semi-Conservative Replication

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The mechanism of DNA replication in which each of the two strands of the DNA serves as a template for the production of the complementary strand, resulting in two DNA molecules each with one old and one new strand.