| genetic block | <biochemistry, molecular biology> An obstruction in a biochemical pathway caused by a mutation that has crippled production of an enzyme critical to the pathway. (07 May 1998) |
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| genetic burden | The genetic debt due to harmful mutation but as yet undischarged. (In a large population of fixed size every mutation with diminished genetic fitness will eventually become extinct and depending on the details of inheritance and phenotype must be paid for by a fixed number of genetic deaths per mutation, the genetic debt.) (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic carrier | An unaffected heterozygote bearing a usually harmful recessive gene, a cancer that bears a dominant but latent age-dependent trait to have offspring with unbalanced karyotypes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic code | <molecular biology> Relationship between the sequence of bases in nucleic acid and the order of amino acids in the polypeptide synthesised from it. A sequence of three nucleic acid bases (a triplet) acts as a codeword (codon) for one amino acid. (18 Nov 1997) |
| genetic colonisation | <molecular biology> The process of a parasite (such as a virus) inserting genes into a host's genome which cause the host cell to synthesise products that are only useful to the parasite. (07 May 1998) |
| genetic complement | <biology, genetics> The set of chromosomes contained within any one particular cell. (07 May 1998) |
| genetic complementation | <genetics> The reappearance of wild-type characteristics in a cell or organism that has had two distinct mutations on the same chromosome. Two normal versions of two different mutant genes on different chromosomes affecting the same phenotype which, when inherited together, results in the wild-type phenotype despite the presence of mutant copies of the genes. (09 Oct 1997) |
| genetic complementation test | A test used to determine whether or not complementation (compensation in the form of dominance) will occur in a cell with a given mutant phenotype when another mutant genome, encoding the same mutant phenotype, is introduced into that cell. (12 Dec 1998) |
| genetic compound | In medical genetics, the presence of two different mutant alleles at the same loci. Synonym: genetic compound. (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic counseling | <genetics> The genetic testing of couples who are planning to be parents in which their genomes are evaluated and they are given advice or information from a specialist regarding the likelihood of them having children with genetic diseases or defects. (07 May 1998) |
| genetic death | Death of the bearer of a gene at any age before generating living offspring. May be compatible with good health and long life. See: genetic lethal. (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic determinant | Any antigenic determinant or identifying characteristic, particularly those of allotypes. Synonym: genetic marker. (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic disease | <biology, genetics> A disease, such as cystic fibrosis, that has its origin in changes to the genetic material, DNA. Usually refers to diseases that are inherited in a Mendelian fashion, although noninherited forms of cancer also result from DNA mutation. (07 May 1998) |
| genetic disequilibrium | A state in the genetic composition of a population which under selection may be expected to change toward an equilibrium or absorbing state. (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic distance | <molecular biology> A way of measuring the amount of evolutionary divergence in two separated populations of a species by counting the number of allelic substitutions per locus that have cropped up in each population. (09 Oct 1997) |