chro·mo·some (kr  m -sm )n. 1. A threadlike linear strand of DNA and associated proteins in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells that carries the genes and functions in the transmission of hereditary information. 2. A circular strand of DNA in bacteria that contains the hereditary information necessary for cell life. chro mo·somal (-sml), chromo·somic (-sm k) adj.chro mo·somal·ly adv. |
chromosome [ˈkrəʊməˌsəʊm]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Genetics) any of the microscopic rod-shaped structures that appear in a cell nucleus during cell division, consisting of nucleoprotein arranged into units (genes) that are responsible for the transmission of hereditary characteristics See also homologous chromosomes
chromosomal adj
chromosomally adv
| chromosome (krm-sm) A structure in all living cells that consists of a single molecule of DNA bonded to various proteins and that carries the genes determining heredity. In all eukaryotic cells, the chromosomes occur as threadlike strands in the nucleus. During cell reproduction, these strands coil up and condense into much thicker structures that are easily viewed under a microscope. Chromosomes occur in pairs in all of the cells of eukaryotes except the reproductive cells, which have one of each chromosome, and some red blood cells (such as those of mammals) that expel their nuclei. In bacterial cells and other prokaryotes, which have no nucleus, the chromosome is a circular strand of DNA located in the cytoplasm. |   |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  chromosome - a threadlike strand of DNA in the cell nucleus that carries the genes in a linear order; "humans have 22 chromosome pairs plus two sex chromosomes"cell nucleus, karyon, nucleus - a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction nucleolar organiser, nucleolar organizer, nucleolus organiser, nucleolus organizer - the particular part of a chromosome that is associated with a nucleolus after nuclear division chromatin, chromatin granule - the readily stainable substance of a cell nucleus consisting of DNA and RNA and various proteins; during mitotic division it condenses into chromosomes cistron, gene, factor - (genetics) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a polypeptide chain; it can include regions preceding and following the coding DNA as well as introns between the exons; it is considered a unit of heredity; "genes were formerly called factors" sex chromosome - (genetics) a chromosome that determines the sex of an individual; "mammals normally have two sex chromosomes" autosome, somatic chromosome - any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome; appear in pairs in body cells but as single chromosomes in spermatozoa chromatid - one of two identical strands into which a chromosome splits during mitosis centromere, kinetochore - a specialized condensed region of each chromosome that appears during mitosis where the chromatids are held together to form an X shape; "the centromere is difficult to sequence" acentric chromosome - a chromosome lacking a centromere acrocentric chromosome - a chromosome with the centromere near one end so that one chromosomal arm is short and one is long metacentric chromosome - a chromosome having two equal arms because the centromere is in median position telocentric chromosome - a chromosome like a straight rod with the centromere in terminal position telomere - either (free) end of a eukaryotic chromosome; "telomeres act as caps to keep the sticky ends of chromosomes from randomly clumping together" body - an individual 3-dimensional object that has mass and that is distinguishable from other objects; "heavenly body" |
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