adjective

• 1Of several different colours or (in physics) wavelengths.

• 2Biochemistry
  Relating to heterochromatin.

  ‘In wild-type chromosomes, these proteins are confined to the heterochromatic DNA sequences either by terminator sequences or by proximally directed initiators.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘This phenomenon is discussed in light of a possible role of heterochromatic proteins in the process of heterochromatin underrepresentation in polytene chromosomes.’
  • ‘Recent findings described association processes after 4 - Gy irradiation during the first hour of repair for heterochromatic regions, but not euchromatic regions.’
  • ‘Although the repetitive nature of heterochromatic DNA has hampered its sequencing and annotation, a number of recent studies have made significant advances to rectifying this situation.’
  • ‘The female-specific avian W chromosome shares several characteristics with the mammalian Y chromosome; it is small, gene-poor, and rich in repetitive heterochromatic DNA.’