supergene
noun
su·per·gene
ˈsü-pər-ˌjēn 
: a group of linked genes acting as an allelic unit especially when due to the suppression of crossing-over
Examples of supergene in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Our analysis of all the genes inside the supergene, spearheaded by Emory researcher Wendy M. Zinzow-Kramer, showed that ESR1 is part of a large network of genes inside the supergene that predict territorial aggression.
—
Donna L. Maney, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
Sometime in history, one of those ants had experienced a mutation that replaced the supergene on one chromosome with a copy of the supergene from the other chromosome.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2023
Researchers still have much to learn about how that supergene controls so many features — not just color, but also wing shape, and even behaviors like flight speed.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2022
If parent butterflies have differing wing patterns, offspring will display the wing pattern of the dominant supergene.
—Joseph Castro, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2011
Keough's pop supergenes add another layer.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2023
However, Trible’s team found that most of the genetic differences between the ant parasites and its host relatives are in that supergene.
—Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 6 Mar. 2023
These physical or statistical associations of genes can form a de facto supergene through linkage, and their variants combine to form haplotypes, sequences of markers across small stretches of the genome.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2011
The results suggested that the mechanism behind the swallowtail’s mimicry was a supergene, which commanded a whole constellation of individual genes and was therefore capable of major changes that could be easily mistaken for macromutation.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2022
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Donna L. Maney, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
Sometime in history, one of those ants had experienced a mutation that replaced the supergene on one chromosome with a copy of the supergene from the other chromosome.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2023
Researchers still have much to learn about how that supergene controls so many features — not just color, but also wing shape, and even behaviors like flight speed.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2022
If parent butterflies have differing wing patterns, offspring will display the wing pattern of the dominant supergene.
—Joseph Castro, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2011
Keough's pop supergenes add another layer.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 1 Mar. 2023
However, Trible’s team found that most of the genetic differences between the ant parasites and its host relatives are in that supergene.
—Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 6 Mar. 2023
These physical or statistical associations of genes can form a de facto supergene through linkage, and their variants combine to form haplotypes, sequences of markers across small stretches of the genome.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2011
The results suggested that the mechanism behind the swallowtail’s mimicry was a supergene, which commanded a whole constellation of individual genes and was therefore capable of major changes that could be easily mistaken for macromutation.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Supergene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supergene. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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supergene
noun
su·per·gene
ˈsü-pər-ˌjēn
: a group of linked genes acting as an allelic unit especially when due to the suppression of crossing-over
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