microsatellite

(noun)

any of a group of polymorphic loci in DNA that consist of repeat units of just a few base pairs

Related Terms

Examples of microsatellite in the following topics:

  • Genetic Maps

    • Some genetic markers used in generating genetic maps are restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs), microsatellite polymorphisms, and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
    • Microsatellite polymorphisms are similar to VNTRs, but the repeat unit is very small; thus, it is often referred to as short tandem repeats(STRs).