Complementary DNA
Complementary DNA
Complementary DNA (cDNA) is a form of DNA that is synthesized from a messenger RNA (mRNA) template in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme reverse transcriptase. The pronunciation of Complementary DNA is /kɒmplɪˈmɛntəri diːɛnˈeɪ/. The term was first coined in the 1970s, with the etymology stemming from the word "complementary," which refers to the fact that the DNA is complementary to the mRNA from which it is derived.
Process
The process of cDNA synthesis involves the use of the enzyme reverse transcriptase to create a single-stranded DNA molecule from an mRNA template. This is followed by the action of the enzyme DNA polymerase to create a double-stranded DNA molecule. This process is important in gene cloning, gene expression studies, and other molecular biology applications.
Uses
cDNA is often used in gene cloning as it can be inserted into a plasmid and introduced into a bacterial cell for amplification. It is also used in gene expression studies as it provides a method of analyzing the genes expressed in a particular cell at a particular time.
Related Terms
- Reverse transcriptase: An enzyme that synthesizes a complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template.
- DNA polymerase: An enzyme that synthesizes a new strand of DNA complementary to the template strand.
- Gene cloning: The process of making multiple, identical copies of a particular gene.
- Gene expression: The process by which the information encoded in a gene is used to direct the assembly of a protein molecule.
- Plasmid: A small, circular piece of DNA that is different than the chromosomal DNA, which is capable of replicating independently.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Complementary DNA
- Wikipedia's article - Complementary DNA
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski