| hypermutable phenotype | <molecular biology> A bacterial strain with the hypermutable phenotype is one which is unable to replace uracil (a nucleotide normally found only in RNA) with cytosine in its DNA when the uracil appears in the DNA by mistake. As a result, the strain undergoes much higher rates of mutation than other bacterial strains. (11 Jan 1998) |
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| phenotype | <biology, genetics> The total characteristics displayed by an organism under a particular set of environmental factors, regardless of the actual genotype of the organism. Results from interaction between the genotype and the environment. (09 Jan 1998) |
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