Roots of Common Terms in DNA Structure, Replication, and Technology
(L = Latin, G = Greek, F = French, Ge = German, U = Unknown Origin)
Anticodon
anti = opposite (L); code = system of communication (L)
Chromosome
chromos = color (G); soma = body (G)
Clone
chromos klonos = trunk or branch (G); refers to trees regrowing by removing a branch and replacing it
Deoxyribose
deoxy = without oxygen (G); ribose = isomer arabinose, a sugar in gum arabic (Ge)
Epigenetics
epi- = over or above (G); abstraction of "genesis" = origin (G)
Euchromatin
eu- = good (G); chromatin = pertaining to color (G)
Gene
chromos abstraction of "-genes" = "that which produces" (G)
Genetics
abstraction of "genesis" = origin (G)
Genome
combination of "gene" + "chromosome" (G)
Helicase
helix = twist (G); -ase = suffix for an enzyme, taken from diastase (F)
Heterochromatin
hetero = different (G); chromatin = pertaining to color (G)
Phylogenetics or Phylogeny
phylon = tribe (G); genetikos = relative from birth (G)
Plasmid
plasm- = pertaining to plasma (G); -id = offspring of (G)
Primer
chromos primarius = first (L)
Promoter
promotour = to advance forward (F)
Repressor
reprimere = press back (L)
Telomerase
telos = end (G); meros = part (G); -ase = suffix for an enzyme, taken from diastase (F)
Telomeres
chromos telos = end (G); meros = part (G)
Transcription
transcriptum = something is copied (L)
Translation
translatio = transferring (L)