A DNA segment coding for a specific polypeptide, and includes its own start and stop codons. When an mRNA encodes two or more proteins, it is called polycistronic.
A segment of DNA that codes for a single protein chain.
(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"
the DNA segment in a genome determining a single gene product
Originally defined as a functional genetic unit within which two mutations cannot complement. Now equated with the term gene as the region of DNA that encodes a single polypeptide (or functional RNA molecule such as tRNA or rRNA).
An obsolete term for a gene. Often used to refer to the number of genes encoded by a single transcript; monocistronic refers to a transcript that encodes one gene, and polycistronic refers to a transcript that encodes multiple genes.