Containing genes from another species that have been artificially inserted into an organism's genetic material. Used primarily in biotechnology and genetic engineering to describe modified organisms.
Modern scientific term combining trans- (across, beyond) from Latin and -genic (producing, causing) from Greek genesis (birth, origin). Coined in the late 20th century as genetic engineering technology developed, specifically to describe organisms with genes transferred from other species.
The first transgenic animal was created in 1974 when scientists inserted DNA from a virus into mouse embryos, but the technique didn't become widely used until the 1980s. Today, transgenic organisms are crucial for medical research, with transgenic mice serving as models for human diseases and transgenic bacteria producing human insulin.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.