genome
complete genetic material of an organism
All of the genetic material in a living thing or a virus, including all of its genes.
the [organism] genome
- Scientists are trying to understand how changes in the human genome affect disease risk.
- The virus has a very small genome compared with that of humans.
- Researchers sequenced the plant's genome to find genes that improve drought resistance.
- Each species has its own unique genome that has evolved over millions of years.
- Advances in technology have made it much cheaper to read an organism's entire genome.
- The human genome contains about three billion DNA letters.
- Doctors study the genome to learn why some people get sick more easily.
- Each virus has a genome that tells it how to make more copies of itself.
- Scientists can compare the genome of two animals to see how close they are.
- Many new medicines are based on information from the human genome.
- Base: genome
- Plural: genomes
bacterial genome
1bacterium's complete genetic material
All of the genetic material in a single bacterial cell.
- Comparing bacterial genomes helps scientists track antibiotic resistance.
- The bacterial genome often consists of a single circular chromosome.
genome editing
1changing an organism's genetic code
The process of changing the DNA in the genome of a cell or organism on purpose.
- Genome editing could one day remove harmful mutations from a family's genetic line.
- Ethical questions about genome editing are widely discussed in the media.
genome sequencing
1reading the full genome sequence
The process of finding the exact order of all the DNA parts in a genome.
- Genome sequencing has become much cheaper in the last decade.
- Doctors sometimes use genome sequencing to find the cause of a rare disease.
genome-wide association study
1large study linking genes to traits
A large study that looks across the whole genome to find genetic differences that are linked to a disease or other trait.
- A genome-wide association study identified several new risk genes for diabetes.
- Genome-wide association studies require DNA data from thousands of people.
human genome
1all genetic material in humans
The complete set of genetic material that all humans share as a species.
- The Human Genome Project created the first full map of the human genome.
- Studying the human genome helps doctors understand the causes of many diseases.
plant genome
1plant's full genetic material
All of the genetic material in a plant, which controls how it grows and looks.
- Scientists are studying the plant genome to improve crop yields.
- Sequencing the plant genome revealed genes linked to drought resistance.
viral genome
1virus's complete genetic material
All of the genetic material inside a virus, which can be DNA or RNA.
- Researchers tracked changes in the viral genome as the outbreak spread.
- The viral genome is very small but changes quickly.
whole genome sequencing
1sequencing an entire genome
A kind of genome sequencing that reads almost all of the DNA in an organism's genome, not just a small part.
- Whole genome sequencing can reveal unexpected genetic risks.
- The study used whole genome sequencing to compare hundreds of patients.