CDNA
CDNA
CDNA (pronounced: see-dee-en-ay), also known as complementary DNA, is a form of DNA that is synthesized from a messenger RNA (mRNA) template in a reaction catalyzed by the enzymes reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase. The term "CDNA" is derived from the English words "complementary" and "DNA", indicating its complementary relationship to the original mRNA molecule.
Etymology
The term "CDNA" was first used in the late 20th century, with the "C" standing for "complementary", and "DNA" standing for "deoxyribonucleic acid", the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms and many viruses.
Function
CDNA is often used in gene cloning or as gene probes or in the creation of a cDNA library. When scientists want to express a specific protein in a cell that does not normally express that protein, they will transfer the cDNA that codes for the protein to the recipient cell.
Related Terms
- DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule that carries most of the genetic instructions used in the development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms and many viruses.
- mRNA: Messenger RNA, a large family of RNA molecules that convey genetic information from DNA to the ribosome.
- Reverse Transcriptase: An enzyme used to generate complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template, a process termed reverse transcription.
- DNA Polymerase: A type of enzyme that is responsible for forming new copies of DNA, in the form of nucleic acid molecules.
- Gene Cloning: The process in which a gene of interest is located and copied (cloned) out of DNA extracted from an organism.
- cDNA Library: A combination of cloned cDNA fragments inserted into a collection of host cells, which together constitute some portion of the transcriptome of the organism and are stored as a library.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on CDNA
- Wikipedia's article - CDNA
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