oligonucleotide

[ ol-i-goh-noo-klee-uh-tahyd, -nyoo- ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. a chain of a few nucleotides.

oligonucleotide

/ ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈnjuːklɪəˌtaɪd /

noun

1. a polymer consisting of a small number of nucleotides

Word History and Origins

Origin of oligonucleotide¹

First recorded in 1940–45; oligo- + nucleotide

Example Sentences

The announcement came a week after drugmakers Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals said they are terminating development of BIIB105, an antisense oligonucleotide for ALS that showed disappointing results in an early-stage clinical study.

From Science Magazine

The noteworthy aspect of this method is the elimination of the need for specialized and expensive ON building blocks to integrate peptides into the oligonucleotide sequence.

From Science Daily

Scientists first imagined creating “antisense oligonucleotide” drugs — pieces of custom-made DNA or RNA designed to correct for genetic errors in cells — in the 1960s.

From New York Times

Another genetic approach that is a bit gray around the categorical edges is known as oligonucleotide therapy.

From Scientific American

Many other projects have similar aims, such as the Rare Genomics Institute, which sequences patients’ genomes, and the n-lorem Foundation, which develops oligonucleotide drugs for free.

From Science Magazine