[Revised entry by Ken Waters and Marcel Weber on March 26, 2026.
Changes to: Main text, Bibliography]
The term molecular genetics sometimes refers to (1) a fundamental theory alleging that genes direct all life processes through the production of proteins and RNAs (ribonucleic acids), sometimes to (2) a more modest, basic theory about the replication and expression of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), and sometimes to (3) an investigative approach applied throughout biomedical science that is based on investigative strategies grounded in the basic theory about genes. This entry briefly summarizes the basic knowledge of molecular...