Transgenes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An engineered gene that has been introduced into an organism's genome to convey desired traits or characteristics
2. A genetic modification that results in the incorporation of foreign DNA into a host organism's genetic material for research or biotechnological applications
3. Referring to a gene that has been artificially inserted into the DNA of an organism, often for the purpose of enhancement or study

Etymology: "Transgenes" is the plural of "transgene," a term built from two parts: the Latin prefix "trans-," meaning "across" or "beyond," and "gene," the unit of heredity. The combination describes a gene carried over from one organism into another, rather than inherited through ordinary reproduction. The word dates from the 1980s, when molecular biologists gained the tools to cut DNA, splice in foreign sequences, and move them into living cells. "Gene" itself was coined in 1909 by the Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen as a shorter label for the units Gregor Mendel had described, so the newer compound simply added a prefix to a term already in common scientific use. The prefix "trans-" reflects the idea of crossing a boundary between species.

Synonyms: genetically modified genes