A genome is the full genetic information of an organism, usually referring to DNA (or RNA for RNA viruses).
In molecular biology and genetics, a genome is the complete set of genetic information carried by an organism. It is typically defined as the DNA molecules (or RNA in RNA viruses) that contain the organism’s genetic instructions, including protein-coding genes, non-coding genes, regulatory regions, and often a large fraction of repetitive or “junk” DNA whose function may not be fully understood. The scope of the term can vary depending on the organism and what molecules are included. For example, bacteria usually have one or two large chromosomal DNA molecules that contain essential genetic material, but they may also carry additional extrachromosomal plasmids; in scientific usage, “genome” often refers mainly to the large chromosomal DNA. In eukaryotes, genomes are more complex to define because nuclear chromosomes coexist with additional DNA in organelles such as mitochondria (mitochondrial genome) and chloroplasts (chloroplast genome). As a result, many references to “the human genome” or other eukaryotic genomes commonly mean the nuclear genome only. Because many eukaryotes are diploid, the “genome” may be interpreted as one copy of each chromosome (even though cells contain two copies), and technical definitions must account for both sex chromosomes when present. Genome scope also extends to how genomes are studied: genome sequencing produces the complete nucleotide list for all chromosomes in an individual or species, and genome projects and annotations help characterize genetic diversity and structure.
A genome is the full genetic information of an organism, usually referring to DNA (or RNA for RNA viruses).
The scope of “genome” can differ by organism: bacteria may include or exclude plasmids, while eukaryotes often focus on the nuclear genome separate from mitochondrial/chloroplast genomes.
Eukaryotic ploidy affects how genome copies are defined (e.g., diploid organisms have two chromosome copies, but “genome” often denotes one copy per chromosome).
Genome sequencing defines scope operationally by generating the complete nucleotide sequence across all chromosomes for an individual or species.
The complete set of genetic information of an organism, carried by DNA (or RNA in RNA viruses).
The genetic material located in the nucleus, typically what is meant by “the genome” in many eukaryotic contexts.
The small genome of DNA found in mitochondria, separate from the nuclear genome.
The DNA genome located in chloroplasts in algae and plants.
The number of chromosome sets in a cell (e.g., diploid means two copies of each chromosome in the nucleus).
The complete list of nucleotides that make up all chromosomes of an individual or species.
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