01
das Genom
genome
The complete set of genetic information of a living organism or a cell, encoded in DNA.
example
Die Wissenschaftler haben das gesamte Genom der Pflanze entschlüsselt.
The scientists decoded the plant's entire genome.
das Genom
genome
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Technical language
'Genom' (genome) is a technical term from biology and genetics. In normal everyday life, this word is rarely used unless the topic is scientific.
EXAMPLE
Die Forschung am menschlichen Genom hat die Medizin revolutioniert.
Research on the human genome has revolutionized medicine.
Word family
The word 'Genom' (genome) is closely related to the word 'Gen' (gene). The ending '-om' is often used in biology for a totality, so the genome is the totality of all genes.
EXAMPLE
Jedes Gen im Genom hat eine bestimmte Funktion.
Every gene in the genome has a specific function.
Use with genitive
To specify whose or which genome is meant, the genitive is often used.
EXAMPLE
Die Analyse des Genoms des Neandertalers gab neue Einblicke in die menschliche Evolution.
The analysis of the Neanderthal's genome gave new insights into human evolution.
Typical verbs
Because it is a scientific term, 'Genom' (genome) is often combined with verbs from research, such as 'entschlüsseln' (to decode), 'sequenzieren' (to sequence), or 'analysieren' (to analyze).
EXAMPLE
Es ist Forschern gelungen, das Genom einer ausgestorbenen Tierart zu sequenzieren.
Researchers have succeeded in sequencing the genome of an extinct animal species.
Compare with
Genom vs Gen
gene
'das Gen' and 'das Genom' sound similar and both belong to genetic information. A gene is a single unit on DNA. The genome is the complete set of genetic information of a living organism or a cell. That is why learners can easily confuse the words. The important difference is between a part and the whole: a gene is one individual section, while the genome includes all genes and all DNA information.
Genom
In der Bibliothek liest Mehmet einen Artikel über das Genom des Menschen.
At the library, Mehmet reads an article about the human genome.
Gen
Im Gespräch nennt die Biologin ein Gen, das für die Krankheit wichtig sein kann.
In the conversation, the biologist mentions a gene that may be important for the disease.
In real life
Loading video examples...